General News

Male Giraffe in Japan’s Aichi Will be Sent to Indonesian Zoo for Breeding; Farewell Event Planned in October

Courtesy of Toyohashi city government
Male giraffe Kiryu is seen at the Toyohashi Zoo and Botanical Park.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:57 JST, October 5, 2024

NAGOYA — A one-year-old male giraffe, born at a zoo in Aichi Prefecture, will soon be sent to a zoo in Indonesia for breeding.

The giraffe named Kiryu has been raised at Toyohashi Zoo and Botanical Park, also known as Non Hoi Park, in Toyohashi in the prefecture.

A farewell event will be held at the park on Oct. 13 before he departs for Batu Secrete Zoo in Indonesia on Oct. 31.

There are currently two female giraffes in the Indonesian zoo, and the move is being made with plans for breeding.

Kiryu was born on Aug. 6, 2023, the third child of his father Uryu and mother Yurara. Kiryu has grown up healthy and is now about 3 meters tall. He is no longer on display at the zoo. After the move, the zoo will still have one male and two female giraffes.

The zoo’s veterinarian said, “I hope he will be loved overseas and be able to spend his days with his new friends in good health.”