European studbook for the giraffe eep

Hybrid Giraffes and Giraffes of unknown origin
The major achievement in the giraffe EEP during 2008 was without doubt the decrease in the
population of hybrid and unknown origin giraffes; this decreased by no less than 11 animals (6%)!
This is the result of the strategy to place as many hybrids and unknown origin giraffes as possible
outside breeding situations. In the past years the growth already slowed down and eventually also
stopped, but 2008 is the year where the phasing out also can be seen in the figures.
Still 28 (11.17) giraffes were born in this category, of which eleven (4.7) did not survive (39%). A
total of 22 (6.16) were moved between EAZA institutions. Four giraffes (3.1) left the EEP. Finally 18
(4.14) hybrid and unknown origin giraffes died.
It is tried to determine the subspecific status of the unknown origin giraffes to reduce their number.
Furthermore it is the goal to phase out the hybrids by reducing their reproduction by establishing
single sex groups. In 2005 for the first time the number of hybrid and unknown origin giraffes
decreased. That could not be continued in 2006 and 2007, but the growth was in both years lower than
the growth of the total population. In 2008 a net decrease was again realised. This is expected to
continue and go faster in the years to come. In 2008 a lot of hybrids were placed in single sex groups
in Antwerp/BE, Blackpool/GB, Dalton-in-Furness/GB, Ebeltoft/DK, Gdansk/PL, Lisieux/FR,
Malton/GB, Peaugres/FR and Riga/LV and therefore less and less of these giraffes are in breeding
situation.
As at the moment the populations of Baringo giraffes, Reticulated giraffes and Kordofan giraffes are
doing well and as the number of new holders is not increasing that fast anymore, we need to decrease
the hybrid giraffe population as soon as possible, by removing as many hybrids as possible from a
breeding situation and replace them by pure giraffes. It needs to be stated that the problem is a bit
smaller than it seems, as several hybrid females are under birth control, like PZP.
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