18/08/2026
The other day we received a call about a giraffe cow caught in a snare. What looked like a straightforward job quickly proved otherwise! Although the giraffes were fairly tame and allowed us to get close, the first dart had other ideas and went straight into the ground… That was it for the “tame” giraffes... 😅 From then on, getting close again was a real challenge, especially with the big bull who no longer trusted us for a second!
After giving them an hour to settle, the farm owner suggested a clever plan. Their giraffes are usually unbothered by the Kubota tractor, so we tried approaching that way. From the tractor Dr Ulf was successful! The giraffe cow was surprisingly strong, and ropes were needed to bring her down. Once immobilized, the steel snare was quickly removed, and fortunately it did not cut into the leg yet. After the reversal drugs were given, she was quickly back on her feet!
Ten days later came the best surprise: the cow gave birth! None of us realized she was heavily pregnant at that time, which explains why she fought so hard and took longer to go down. The cow has been very protective of the calf, making getting photos difficult, but now we can finally share these adorable images with you!
A huge thanks goes out to the vigilant farm owners and, once again, to Worth Wild Africa for their incredible support! They generously sponsored the dart and drugs we used for this case. In the end, not just one life was saved, but two; the giraffe cow and her newborn calf. 💚 Visit their website for more information, and to find out how you can help: https://www.worthwildafrica.org/post/namibian-veterinary-conservation-funding-boost
