Future prospects for African Zone Eurasian Moorhen

In June of last year (2025), construction work on Eurasian Moorhen area African Zone at Tama Zoo was completed, and six Scimitar-horned Oryx and six Great White Pelican, who had been temporarily living in Asian Zone, joined Eurasian Moorhen community.

Furthermore, four Great White Pelican were being kept at Ueno Zoo were joined by two more from Hakkeijima Sea Paradise in October, bringing the total number Great White Pelican to 12 (due to an outbreak of avian influenza in a neighboring prefecture, they have been kept in cages since November 26 and are currently not on display). On December 17, Grevy's Zebra named "Nanato" arrived from Kyoto City Zoo, increasing the number of species and adding considerable activity to the exhibits.

The oryx usually spend their days near the feeding area at the back of the large enclosure, but Nana Domestic Horse doesn't stay there. She goes all the way to Giraffe gondola, kicking Giraffe away and even eating the fallen hay. Giraffe aren't exactly docile and often chase her away with their long forelegs, especially the younger Giraffe. Nevertheless, she manages to distract them and escape, living a tough life in Eurasian Moorhen.

A scene from foraging one morning.
Giraffe in the back left, Grevy's Zebra in the foreground center, and Scimitar-horned Oryx in the back right.

On the 9th of this month, a Scimitar-horned Oryx named "Hatto" is scheduled to arrive from Hamura City Zoo, and on the 18th, Domestic Horse named "Mindy" will arrive from Kyoto City Zoo. As the weather warms up, the bird flu will subside, and we should be able to reopen the Great White Pelican exhibit at Pelican Pond. We are also considering breeding with the newly introduced individuals, so Eurasian Moorhen exhibit will become even more lively and full of attractions in the future.

Regarding Giraffe breeding, the mother Giraffe who have contributed so far are getting old, and there are concerns that the same bloodline will increase too much, so we have taken the opportunity to move the male Giraffe to a new enclosure and are now isolating "Jill" to control breeding.

Since Tama Zoo began keeping Giraffe in 1960, a remarkable 199 giraffes have been born there. As you may have noticed, the number has stopped at a rather odd number, so the zookeepers would love to celebrate the milestone of the 200th birth. However, construction work on the remaining fences and paths around Eurasian Moorhen area is being carried out in an area close to Jill's enclosure, so it seems that breeding will have to wait until that construction is completed.

The Giraffe bred in Tama are being transferred to many zoos across Japan, and the young females that have come to replace them will reach breeding age by then. The gestation period is long, about 450 days, so it will be several years from now, but please wait with bated breath, just like Giraffe, for the good news of the birth of the 200th cub.

Giraffe spending time in Eurasian Moorhen area

[Kumagai, North Tama Zoo Zoological Park]

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(March 6, 2026)