Adopt-a-Giraffe Program

Windy (HNBF030), who was first added to our database as a young female sub-adult in 2002, is now a mature adult desert-dwelling giraffe. At over 23 years of age, Windy is one of the oldest documented wild female giraffe in the whole of Africa. Isn’t it weird that we still don’t really know how old giraffe get in the wild? This is true as no one as ever bothered to record this! Scientifically, Windy’s advanced age is making history as she had a calf not too long ago! She spends most of her time in the remote Hoanib River in northwest Namibia, where she is often seen in the company of younger adult female giraffe and their calves. As an experienced mother, Windy readily takes on the role as the resident ‘aunty’, watching over and protecting other giraffe’s calves while their mothers venture away for short periods in search of better browse.

Mocha (EHM098) is a large male giraffe that likes to hang out on the plains near Mountain Lodge on Etosha Heights Private Reserve. The waterhole below the lodge is a popular drinking spot for giraffe and other wildlife and Mocha is often seen fsocialising with other giraffe – both male and female. The adjacent hills to the north and east of the plain have a good tree cover and offer ample browse — even during the drier months of the year. With his V-shaped ossicones, Mocha is easy to identify from a distance when he roams far and wide on the reserve and during his excursions into the iconic Etosha National Park.

Mae lives on the Etosha Heights Private Reserve, adjacent to the iconic Etosha National Park in Namibia. She was added to our individual giraffe database in 2019, when we fitted Mae with an ossicone unit to learn more about her movements. The unit was removed 3 years later when it stopped working, but Mae is still a regular during our surveys in the central area of the reserve. Her slightly bent left ossicone gives her a cheeky look that matches her personality perfectly.

Pac-Man is a strapping male giraffe on the Etosha Heights Private Reserve adjacent to the famous Etosha National Park in Namibia. We often name giraffe by a shape or area of their spot patterns that stands out and makes them easy to recognize. Can you guess where Pac-Man’s name comes from? We see a distinct shaped spot on his right side – can you spot it too? Pac-Man loves mingling and socialising on the plains near Mountain Lodge on Etosha Heights, so we are hopeful that we will get to see him regularly, but you never know with male giraffe.

Kaoko (HSBF026) is a graceful and confident adult female desert-dwelling giraffe, who spends most of her time in the Hoarusib River in northwest Namibia. She spends most of her days moving peacefully up and down the dry riverbed’s length, often in the company of other female giraffe. When she is not delicately using her prehensile tongue to locate the tastiest leaves, she is often seen quietly ruminating in the shade of the tall trees that line the riverbed.

Monkey (HNBF027) is a gregarious adult female desert-dwelling giraffe in northwest Namibia. She can usually be found browsing in the middle section of the Hoarusib River in the company of a mixed group of female and male giraffe. She has been one of our adopted giraffe since she was a young calf, and has developed quite a reputation because of her cheeky personality. She is not very keen on being photographed and while we spot her often, she likes to play hide-and-seek with our team by expertly hiding herself behind a tree or bushes whenever the camera comes out!

Zora (HNBF088) is a desert-dwelling female giraffe that roams along the Hoanib River in northwest Namibia. Zora has a very distinct look – actually, it is more of an attitude. We mostly recognize her instantly by the way she is giving us ‘the look’ when she spots us in a distance. If that fails, she is easily identified by the prominent arrow-shaped spot on her right shoulder. Interestingly, she shares a very similar arrow-shaped spot in almost the exact same part of her body with her daughter Zorba.

Coffee Bean (HNBM027) is an adult male desert-dwelling giraffe in northwest Namibia. He is a confident bull in the prime of his life, and stands tall with pride. While roaming the vast desert landscape during the day, he is well camouflaged by his cleverly designed spot pattern which blends with the dappled light of the desert. His bald ossicones (this is what giraffe ‘horns’ are called) show us that he spends time sparing with other males for breeding rights. When not fighting for dominance, this gentle giant is often seen in the company of other giraffe gracefully making their way along the dry Hoanib River while browsing their favourite trees.

Kunene (HNB056) is a beautiful and gentle female desert-dwelling giraffe. She is named after the region where she lives in northwest Namibia. We have observed her reaching maturity in recent years and since then, Kunene has begun to venture beyond her familiar range, and we often find her wandering along the Hoanib River in search of food. Mostly, she is seen in herds of adult female giraffe, where she finds company and learns skills that help her survive in the harsh landscapes of the Namibian desert.

Tima, aka EHF084, is a female giraffe who lives on the Etosha Heights Private Reserve adjacent to the famous Etosha National Park in Namibia. Tima means ‘mother’ in the local Damara language and the name is a tribute to her attentive, caring and vigilant nature as a mum. Tima is an older cow and has likely raised many calves including her most recent addition Axaros (pronounced ‘Acharos’, which means ‘girl child’). Bearing some claw scares on her left rump, suggesting she may have survived a lion attack, Tima is easy to identify.