An Auckland Zoo’s giraffe is hitting the highway, beginning a journey from its Auckland home to a new place at Christchurch’s Orana Park. But this move is no ordinary transportation, in fact the two-year-old giraffe Shira will be travelling through the streets of Auckland in her crate in the back of a truck. The crate has a window where she can look out, so people on the street may spot her- most probably when the truck is stopped at traffic lights!
The route takes her from Old Mill Road through Motions Rd, Great North Rd, St Lukes Rd, Balmoral Rd, Mt Eden Rd (through Mt Eden shops), Symonds St, Anzac Ave and Beach Rd. After this journey, Shira will be lifted onto a ship and have a three-day long sea voyage, travelling to Timaru Port. Upon disembarking at Timaru, Shira will complete the road trip with a three hour journey to Orana Wildlife Park.
Auckland Zoo says the young female is being relocated in order to progress Australasia’s regional breeding programme for the increasingly threatened African species.
