Give Giraffes a Home at Edinburgh Zoo!

Aim

Give giraffes a home at Edinburgh Zoo!

Latest update:

Thanks to all of our supporters (both online and offline) who have helped us reach just over £30,000 so far. 

With your help, giraffes can find a home in Scotland's bustling capital. Your donation will help to create a unique landscape for giraffes high on Corstorphine Hill, to the west of the city centre. You can give our new giraffe family a fantastic home with plenty of space to walk tall around their new enclosure (with fantastic views of the city to boot)! Edinburgh Zoo's dedicated team of keepers and vets will be ready to welcome the herd with their many years of expertise in animal care. The new enclosure will also highlight the silent conservation emergency that giraffes face in the wild, which we hope will inspire our visitors to support their conservation. 

Edinburgh Zoo is an iconic Scottish landmark that has delighted visitors since 1913. Owned by leading Scottish wildlife conservation charity, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (registered charity number SC004064), the Zoo is one of Europe's leading centres of conservation, education and research. By working collectively with other zoos and conservation agencies in the UK, Europe and around the world, Edinburgh Zoo delivers coordinated conservation programmes to help ensure the survival of many threatened species. Enjoyable education programmes enable Scottish children and young people to understand the fragility of life on this planet, and how to care for it.  

Edinburgh Zoo's mission is to connect people with nature and safeguard species from extinction. 

Edinburgh Zoo had giraffes previously,as far back as the 1930s. Giraffes were always a favourite with visitors and our animals went onto to contribute to important zoo-based breeding programmes. Giraffes left Edinburgh Zoo a little over 15 years ago as we didn't have the appropriate sized enclosure to care for them, though our visitors have missed them ever since. 

Our giraffe appeal is the first of five initiatives which aim to transform Edinburgh Zoo.

Edinburgh Zoo’s Big 5 vision sets out five vital steps on this journey. Each Big 5 initiative will address a critical environmental issue for wildlife and harness our unique expertise in saving species from extinction. It’s a vision we can’t deliver on our own – but we can with your help.

Year 1 – Giraffes

Raising awareness about habitat loss: This campaign will create a unique giraffe house with space for the herd to roam whilst also supporting practical conservation work to rebuild their population in the wild.

Year 2- Sun bears

Raising awareness about the threat of wildlife exploitation: This campaign will create a new lush forest habitat for a breeding sun-bear family, combined with a learning zone highlighting the role of our vets in supporting rescue centres and conserving wild bears in Cambodia.

Year 3- Asian rhinos

Raising awareness about the illegal wildlife trade: This campaign will develop a purpose-built habitat specifically designed for breeding rhinos, with their offspring helping to build up a genetically sustainable population.

Year 4 – Tropical house

Raising awareness around use of unsustainable palm oil: This campaign will build a new tropical house with free-roaming wildlife, up-close encounters with endangered crocodilians, monkeys, colourful birds and amphibians.

Year 5 - Penguins

Raising awareness about climate change: Edinburgh Zoo was the first zoo in the world to care for King penguins. Now a new climate-controlled environment is needed to ensure their breeding success whilst also benefitting northern rockhopper penguins.

Did you know that giraffes are even more vulnerable than elephants? Sadly, few people have heard about the crisis facing giraffes in the wild. Their numbers have plummeted by 40% and only around 100,000 remain in the wild. Tragically, they are now extinct in seven countries where they once thrived. Edinburgh Zoo wants to ensure giraffes have a long future. Your support will contribute to global efforts to save the species. By bringing giraffes to the Zoo, visitors will be inspired by these majestic creatures and can learn about the serious threats they face in the wild. Through increasing awareness and supporting conservation work in Africa, giraffes can thrive again. 

Our new giraffe house will cost £2.8 million and we are asking for your help in raising £100,000 towards the project. 

We have a whole host of rewards for you to choose from. From postcards, tote bags, travel cups, to giraffe experiences, and having your name etched into the new giraffe house, please do have a look and support at a level of your choosing. 

Our popular giraffe tote bag = £15 donation

A pair of delightful ladies' socks = £25 donation

A giraffe printed scarf = £25 donation

A beautifully designed Rothschild giraffe pin = £35 donation

A handy giraffe print travel mug made from bamboo = £50 donation

A Jellycat Merryday giraffe plush toy (safe from birth) = £100 donation

A beautiful A4 Rothschild giraffe print = £100 donation

Please note that if you've chosen a reward, we aim to send this to you within 4 weeks of your donation. Thank you.

Q1. How long will it take to receive my reward?

A: Please allow up to 4 weeks after making your donation to receive your reward in the post. If you have any queries please email our team on [email protected] 

Q2. Why did you stop keeping giraffes before?

A: The enclosure we had previously wasn't suitable for giraffes particularly with what we now know about their care in the zoo community and beyond. Unfortunately they didn't have sufficient space which is why Edinburgh Zoo stopped keeping the species. However, our new state-of-the-art enclosure will feature a large giraffe house (big enough to fit a herd!), along with a huge outdoor paddock that will look like an African Savannah. 

Please help to raise £100,000 toward our new giraffe house. 

Donate today to give giraffes a home at Edinburgh Zoo.

This project successfully funded on 29th February 2020