Giraffe successfully relocated in southern Namibia

Drought conditions also affect wildlife. In southern Namibia with its spectacular wide-open spaces another impact can be strong sandstorms, blowing sand layers over grass. This prevents livestock and wild animals from grazing. 

Recently a game farm in southern Namibia had to locate nine giraffes to better grazing grounds due bad drought and sandstorms. Many animals had to be relocated, including the nine giraffes.

Wildlife Vets Namibia (WVN) is a specialised company handling such operations. The nine giraffes were immobilised with darts and loaded onto a giraffe trailer. “It was quite a task, as many of the giraffes were already very big!”, according to Dr Ulf Tubbesing of WVN.

Once the giraffe was down, its head was picked up, and a face mask, ear plugs and a halter with a long rope, put on. Then the antidote was given, and a piece of DNA is collected for research done by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. Once the giraffe got up, the wild animals could be led by one handler with a long halter rope as if going for a walk, as the spectacular photo shows.

The animals were walked to a field trailer to climb on, which was pulled by a farm tractor to the big giraffe trailer. As soon as the trailer was fully loaded, the giraffes were relocated to another farm that still has good grazing.

This exercise showed once again how much care is applied to preserve wildlife in Namibia.

Wildlife Vets Namibia is a local company with a team of highly experienced veterinarians and game capturing staff specialising in treating wild animals – as well as relocating them.

 The Giraffe Conservation Foundation is located in Namibia and is deeply involded in preserving giraffe on the African continent. 

Brigitte Weidlich