FOBZ News
Giraffe House & Zarafa Height
At the official opening of the Giraffe House and Zarafa Heights walkway to celebrate Banham Zoo’s 40th Birthday, Martin Goymour, Zoo Director and FOBZ Chairman, gave the following speech.
Welcome!
On 15th March 2008, here at Norfolk’s premier wildlife attraction, the park voted the Best Norfolk Attraction in 2007, we are celebrating our 40th birthday, so happy birthday Banham Zoo!
To celebrate the birthday we have a wonderful birthday present - a new Giraffe house. Before we welcome you in
I would like to reflect on what Banham Zoo is all about.
We have in our care some of the world’s most beautiful and yet vulnerable species with which mankind is privileged to share this planet, and yet due to mankind’s insatiable greed for resources all other species of life face an uncertain future.
We have been fortunate that for the past 40 years we have been able to re-dress the balance, - a little bit. I can assure you that if I did not think that what we do at Banham Zoo was in some way achieving some positive benefit for wildlife conservation, we would not being doing it.
The good book relates a tale of human greed, which was re-dressed somewhat with a flood. At that time an ark was built and a male and a female of every species was accommodated aboard - the logistics of that take some comprehending based on practical experience!
We may not currently have a flood, unless of course the flood is the flood of the human population. Today we have not one ark, but a flotilla of arks that communicate and work together effectively with a common goal and a positive can-do attitude. I am proud that Banham Zoo is one of those hundreds of arks worldwide, modern zoos, who achieve so much in real conservation terms, both at grass roots level in the day to day care and welfare of the animals in their direct care and in the support given to conservational work undertaken in-situ - in the wild where those animals naturally occur.
But it’s all about a family day out at the Zoo, isn’t it?
Yes, of course, where else can all age ranges, from toddler to grandparent go out together for a day and each enjoy equally the outing. Fresh air, fantastic wildlife, good facilities, food, Animal keeping and educational staff pleased to see you and impart their enthusiasm and even an opportunity of buying a souvenir of your visit at the end of the day!
And what does this do? It pays for the animal keeping staff, the education staff, the conservation administration staff, the animal food, the veterinary bills, and all the other huge costs of running Banham Zoo and maintaining and where possible improving the standards we set for ourselves in all aspects of what we do. And it gives everyone an opportunity to gain an appreciation of those wonderful animals with which we share this planet, as not everyone can be a David Attenborough jetting off to all the far-flung corners of the world.
We depend upon you our visitors, and with your support we are able to do all these things and more. We are able to provide practical and financial support to those working in the wild, and have, for instance, been especially active in respect of Lemurs in Madagascar, Grevy’s Zebra in Africa, and Cheetahs in Botswana. The acquisition of practical knowledge in the care of animals should not be underestimated either. Once learnt it is quickly shared throughout the Zoo world and with the conservation agencies working in the wild too.
So let’s get back to the core of what we are about, animals, big, small, scrawny, tall, gawky, bright, furry, bald, loud & noisy or not at all. Leaping, swimming, running, flying, hopping, creeping, slithering whatever their choice of locomotion.
It all started out with the idea for a new Zebra stable. What else could share paddock space with Zebra? Giraffe.
Over a two year period designs were hotly debated to agree the creation of a workable layout to provide an interesting environment for Giraffe and Zebra, capable of being maintained safely by our keepers, providing a unique opportunity for visitors to observe without impinging upon the residents natural behaviours or routines.
The Giraffe project, the first phase, is one of some £400,000 undertaken mainly in-house. The Zoo has a stalwart crew of building and maintenance staff who undertake the majority of building works at both Banham Zoo and at our sister Park, Africa Alive! (Kessingland). During the past few weeks they have literally battled the elements to get this project completed for you today.
Charles Snowling our Construction and Maintenance manager and his in-Zoo Crew including Glynn, Jamie, Pat, Daniel, Neville, Ben, Steve, Tony and Barry have been responsible for the majority of the works you are about to enjoy.
Zarafa Heights - the raised walkway, was nearly not completed in time due to the high winds, but completed it now is, and a wonderful attraction it is.
This venture, like the Zoo itself will continue to evolve. The Project has relied upon the support of many, and I should not fail to mention the Friends of Banham Zoo, the charitable trust, that has raised considerable funds, some £40,000, for the project itself, and another £15,000 for the mobility access lift. Individual Zoo visitors raised another £6,000 through the sponsorship of bricks.
What of the residents?
Our new Giraffe House was complete with four giraffe - Hannah, Fiona, Aisling and Jonathan, until yesterday when Aisling gave birth during the early morning - so now we are five!
You will learn more about the Giraffe from the talks to be given later, however I do have to let you know that the Giraffe are currently restricted to the house and hard-standing yards outside. We are all excitedly looking forward to the Giraffe going out into their new paddock, and to be able to observe them from the Zarafa Heights walkway.
The giraffe are quite calm and confident within their house and hard standing areas, and look forward to meeting you.
