Reticulated giraffe

A herd of reticulated giraffes lives in the African Savanna and the Bernard Osher Giraffe Lodge. The herd inhabits the savanna during the day. The keepers bring the giraffes into the lodge close to the closing time of the zoo for a public feeding, and the herd stays indoors each night.

The giraffe lodge was possible because of a generous donation by the Osher family. Because of their gifts and their enthusiasm for the zoo and its giraffes, they are given the opportunity to choose the official names of the zoo's giraffes. Several of the giraffes are named after members of the Osher family.

Feeding
The giraffes are fed branches of acacia leaves, alfalfa hay, and "giraffe chow", a pelleted food. The acacia leaves are harvested locally from a species of acacia that thrives in the San Francisco bay area. Unlike the acacia that giraffes eat in their native Africa, this acacia has no thorns. The giraffes eat all the leaves, twigs and bark of each acacia branch.

On occasion, the giraffes are also fed vegetables, such as carrots, lettuce, apple slices and kale. These treats are much richer than normal giraffe diets. Giraffes are ruminants with particularly efficient digestive systems. In the wild they eat a large amount of low-quality food. Eating too much high quality fruits and vegetables can cause digestive problems for giraffes, so the giraffe keepers limit how many of these treats the giraffes eat.

Herd split
Since 2008 the giraffe herd has been split into two, with Sam the adult male kept separate from the adult females. This is for at least two reasons. First, the fertile females are getting a break between offspring. Second, Sam would (unsurprisingly) show a great deal of interest in the females. In the wild, giraffes form loose herds compared to other herding animals like horses, and female giraffes in the wild would simply be able to leave if they were pestered by a male. In captivity females may be unable to escape unwanted attention, so for now Sam is always on the other half of the savanna or lodge from the females. He is still able to socialize with the other giraffes because only a low fence separates them, so this arrangement is a good balance for the needs of the individuals in the herd.

Current Population
Currently the herd consists of one adult male, two adult females, and two juveniles.

Sam
Sam is the bull (adult male) of the herd. His official name is Floyd. He was born in captivity in New Mexico. He is a prolific male who has fathered at least seven calves, including Camilla, Niklas, Bulldozer and Rosie. He's easy to identify because he is the tallest animal in the zoo. He also has the three horns that adult male giraffes typically have.

Betiti
Betiti is an adult female who was born at the Oakland Zoo. She's had three calves, including Bulldozer and Camilla. Betiti is the most treat-oriented giraffe in the herd. She's particularly fond of bananas. The keepers limit how many treats Betiti (and to a lesser extent the other giraffes) eat because they can cause digestive problems like soft stool.

Carolina
Carolina was born at Busch Gardens in Florida. Her official name is Kristin. She's had two calves, including Niklas. To identify her, look for her white belly.

Camilla
Camilla was born at the San Francisco Zoo on January 26th, 2009. She is the daughter of Betiti and Sam, and the full sister of Bulldozer. She is named after a member of the Osher family, and her official name is her only name. She weighed a healthy 126 pounds at birth. She is a relatively shy giraffe, content to stand farther away from people and uninterested in treats. The zoo is looking for a permanent home for Camilla.

Niklas
Niklas, born at the San Francisco Zoo on April 2nd, 2009, is the son of Carolina and Sam. He is named after a member of the Osher family, and his official name is his only name. He was unusually large at birth, weighing 164 pounds. He is a precocious eater who began sampling solid foods just two weeks after he was born. Although he is two months younger than his half-sister Camilla, his weight exceeded hers within six months. He was a rambunctious youngster, known for kicking unexpectedly. During the fall of 2009 his face, neck and chest fur became much lighter, making him very easy to distinguish from other giraffes. The zoo is currently looking for a permanent home for Niklas. It's rumored that he will go to the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens in Naples, Florida.

Former Population
The zoo has been home to a large number of giraffes. Below are some of the more recent residents of the zoo.

Bulldozer
Bulldozer, AKA Dozer, is the son of Sam and Betiti. He was born at the San Francisco Zoo on August 11, 2007. Betiti didn't take sufficient care of Dozer, and he had to be bottle fed. He is an especially affectionate giraffe who seems to enjoy human contact more than most giraffes. As he reached adolescence he was separated from the females in the herd. He and Sam were occasionally seen "necking" or sparring for dominance, although the conflicts seemed more like Sam teaching Dozer how to fight rather than serious competition. In March or April of 2009 he was sold to Safari West in Santa Rosa, California. Once he settled in there he joined a large herd of giraffes and is reportedly doing quite well.

Gezi
Gezi was one of the zoo's female giraffes. She gave birth to two babies, Rosie (a female) and a male. In late July of 2008 her appetite declined, and July 29th, despite intensive treatment by the zoo's staff, she died suddenly. A necropsy showed enlarged lymph nodes, inflammation in her gastrointestinal tract and more than 100 black masses throughout her body. She was also in the first trimester of pregnancy when she died.

Rosie
Rosie is the daughter of Gezi and Sam. Her official name is Barbro, named in honor of Barbro Osher. She was born at the zoo on February 25, 2008. On December 31, 2009 she was sold to [Six Flags Discovery Kingdom where she currently resides. Although the zoo received $70,000 for the giraffe, the sale was more than a financial gain for the zoo. It was also good for the giraffes because she was approaching maturity, and two of her male relatives were starting to show some inappropriate interest.

Recent Events

 * September 18, 2009 - Giraffe keeper Ron's last day. After over 35 years as the zoo's giraffe keeper, Ron has retired. He was well known for helping people, especially children, connect with the giraffes. He kept it a fun experience, often helping children feed the giraffes treats. His commitment to the animals of the zoo and his good cheer will be missed.


 * April 2, 2009 - Carolina gave birth to a healthy and heavy baby boy giraffe named Niklas!


 * January 26, 2009 - Betiti gave birth to a healthy baby girl giraffe named Camilla!


 * December 31, 2008 - Rosie moved to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.


 * July 29, 2008 - Gezi died unexpectedly.


 * February 25, 2008 - Gezi gave birth to a healthy baby girl giraffe named Rosie (official name Barbro)!