Ramat Gan Safari Park

New rhino born

photo - baby rhino — *(photo from Ashernet)*

Tanda, 25, with her as-yet-unnamed calf at Ramat Gan Safari Park. (photo from Ashernet)

Tanda’s new offspring – her fifth – weighed 50 kilograms at birth. The baby rhino’s horn will begin to grow in the coming weeks, but, in its first year, the horn will remain small and round. Due to poaching in other areas of the world – for the rhinos’ horns – several species of rhino have become endangered. In one case, the northern white rhino has been almost completely wiped out, with only five animals left in captivity. The safari park tries to encourage breeding programs, particularly of endangered species, and has seen some success.

Height of celebration

Feeding time for the giraffes in Ramat Gan Safari Park on June 21, which was World Giraffe Day. (photo from Ashernet)

It is no coincidence that the day to raise public awareness of the tallest animal on earth takes place on the longest day of the year, at least in the northern hemisphere. In the world, there are nine sub-species of giraffes, all of which are categorized as endangered. Seven giraffes live in the Safari Park: Denisa, Daniela, Dikla, Diana, Dedi, Anton and Dadon. This year, Denisa, the Dutch-born giraffe who came to the safari when she was just 2 years old, broke a record when she passed the age of 28, becoming the oldest giraffe in any zoo.

Pesach sameach!

During Passover, thousands of Israeli families will be taking advantage of the holiday period to visit some of the many attractions all over the country. One of the busiest will be Ramat Gan Safari Park, which does its own Pesach cleaning, to ensure there is no chametz (unleavened bread) anywhere. The park has ordered five kilograms of matzot for each of the animals that eats breads the rest of the year.