While the zoo is temporarily closed again to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, a major change has occurred in Eurasian Moorhen: a 7-year-old male Giraffe named "Jill" has been separated from his herd.


Jill, who came out of the male enclosure into the small enclosure during the daytime (photographed on February 1, 2021)
Since arriving at Tama Zoo in 2015 at the age of two, Jill has lived as part of the herd and has contributed to Giraffe breeding at Tama by fathering a total of 16 offspring. However, he has a history of chasing after females in heat for extended periods, trying to monopolize them and driving away other individuals. This causes the entire herd to become restless, running around and potentially falling and getting injured, or being unable to get enough food.

Furthermore, if Jill tries to mate with a female that is in heat while raising her young, the offspring will not be able to get close to their mother and will not be able to nurse properly. Yurine, who gave birth in November of last year (2020), joined the group with her offspring in mid-December, but Jill immediately began persistently chasing Yurine around. Therefore, from January 1st onwards, Jill was isolated and kept alone, in a small outdoor enclosure during the day and in the male enclosure at night.

When we first started isolating him, we were worried because he wouldn't return to the male enclosure until it got dark at night and his appetite seemed a little reduced. Gradually, however, he started returning to the male enclosure smoothly, and his appetite returned to its previous healthy level. He also used to be restless at night, frequently pacing back and forth in the same spot, but as the days went by, he seemed to get used to his environment, and this behavior decreased in frequency. Now, he eats, walks around a bit, and then sits and rests for several hours, spending his time calmly until the next morning.

For now, Jill shows no signs of wanting to rejoin the herd. During the day, she spends her time foraging, moving between the male enclosure and the small enclosure, occasionally observing the group. Compared to when she was constantly chasing females and intimidating other giraffes in the herd, that aggressive side of her has disappeared, and she seems more relaxed than before. Meanwhile, Giraffe in the herd are now able to rest, forage, and nurse to their heart's content without being disrupted by Jill's movements.

Jill will continue to live alone for a while longer. Once Yurina's offspring, Yuhi, has grown and is able to eat enough food other than her mother's milk, we plan to gradually return her to the group. Until then, all animal keeper will do their best to provide daily care and observation to ensure that Jill can enjoy living alone in good health.

[Tama Zoo, Tama Zoological Park]

(March 12, 2021)