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The giraffe management programme is going well. So well, in fact, that the population of giraffes in European zoos has doubled over the past twenty years. Many zoos now have a surplus of males and this is a challenge, as in principle giraffes live in a group of females with only one male. In Safaripark Beekse Bergen, two large groups consisting only of males have therefore been put together for the first time. The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine is conducting rigorous research into the behaviour of giraffes in this setting.

A stately giraffe wanders our way, while a bit further on two young giraffes playfully bump into each other with their necks. Next to me, a tablet beeps and Fleur de Smit, a Master's student in Veterinary Medicine, starts entering various details. “Like Rozemijn van Zwol , I observe a single giraffe for fifteen minutes,” she says. “At each beep, I indicate what he is doing and which behaviour he is exhibiting.” After those fifteen minutes, the students follow different giraffes from the group. “Sometimes they go out of sight and because we have to take the long way round, we sometimes need to run to keep an eye on them,” laughs Fleur.

Preferences

Vivian Goerlich, behavioural biologist at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, supervises the master's students who observe the giraffes on a daily basis. “A study into the behaviour of males has never been carried out on this scale anywhere in Europe,” says Goerlich enthusiastically. “Although we only started observing their behaviour in April, we have already made some great observations. For example, it is known that females can have a preference for one another. What’s new is that we can now also see this in males.” According to Goerlich, the huge amount of data on behavioural patterns is providing a wealth of information. “This provides the foundation needed to understand the giraffes. Giraffes are sometimes transferred to a different zoo. But if we now know that two males get along well, should we separate them?"

Females can have a mutual preference for one another. What’s new is that we can now also see this in males.

, biologist at Beekse Bergen, thinks not. “If a giraffe dies within a year of being transferred, you know that things aren't right. But in general, giraffes seem to adapt well to the new situation. Do giraffes who have always been together suffer from being separated? We simply don’t know the answer to that question.” Berger is pleased that Beekse Bergen has started this study. “We know so little about giraffes: what is the group structure, how do they communicate? Because you often encounter giraffes alone in the wild, they were mainly regarded as solitary animals. But even though they might be a hundred metres apart, these giraffes still form part of a group.”

Ongoing observations

The young males in these groups range from three to eight years old. “They’re adolescents, in other words,” says Goerlich. “What we are now seeing is that a separate group for young males seems to work, even though they are sometimes quite rough with each other. However, we can’t yet estimate how things will go when they get a year or two older. Will we start seeing changes in behaviour and the group structure? Will they get restless or more aggressive? And if so, will they still be able to live together in a group? And what will be the next step for zoos? That’s why this study is so important. We need to keep observing their behaviour, because this will allow us to give zoos good advice on how to understand their behaviour and what giraffes need. In this way, we will be able to safeguard their well-being.”

If you really look at them, you can see differences and not just in their appearance.

World behind those eyes

Loïs Kroon, Master's student in Biology, was the first to carry out a work placement with the giraffes and investigated whether there were any social preferences. “It was really a magical project to participate in. In the beginning they all look similar, but if you really look at them, you can see differences and not just in their appearance. For example, Rob is very adventurous and regularly gets into trouble as a result, whereas Shaadoni is always calm and stays on the sidelines. I would like to know why.” Still, Kroon related most of all to Freddie, who died a while ago. “Freddie would often come and look at me while I was observing the giraffes. In the beginning he was a bit dominant, but I feel that as time progressed he became calmer. At times when he stood near me for a long time, I would look at him and all I could think was: there’s a whole world behind those eyes.”

According to Goerlich, when it comes to animals we tend to look far too much at groups rather than at the individual. “It's all about the emotional state of each individual giraffe. This is what we are now measuring in the study conducted by Safaripark Beekse Bergen and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.” Goerlich looks at the giraffes with a smile. “I’m convinced that this will allow us to improve the well-being of giraffes in zoos.”

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