Enhancing Animal Husbandry and Welfare at the National Zoological Garden.
By Khomotso Madisha
My name is Khomotso, an animal keeper based at SANBI/National Zoological Garden of SA. My daily responsibilities include daily care and management of Giraffes which are animals that I have developed so much love for because I work closely with them on daily basis. My work is beyond just cleaning and feeding but it includes ensuring that their needs are met through nutrition and enrichment activities although enrichment expand to all animals we have at NZG but this large herbivores are my priority on a daily basis.
Background
The National Zoological Garden has 4 Giraffes, namely:
- Momoza 12 years old
- Bonito 8 years old( Breeding bull)
- Azuri 4 year old male
- Luna who is 1 year 2 months(Female), Momoza is Mother to Azuri and Luna.
I have recently started behavioural training for Giraffes which was inspired by the Animal Welfare Workshop at Johannesburg Zoo in October 2025. The behavioural management activities include: Hand feed, targeting, public engagement, voluntary participation, stationing, behaviour observation and record keeping.
Giraffes have fear especially to people who don’t work closely with them and that lead to aggression and they tend to run as people approach them which can results in injuries from both animals and keepers.
I use hand feed as a tool to help overcome their fear by bringing visitors closer to them,although visitors are no longer able to do hand feed due to foot and mouth precautions but we can bring animals closer to them as they stand outside of the enclosure as they eat their favourite leaves from hand feed.
Giraffes eat a variety of trees of which celtis and mulberry are their most favourite which I use as a reward for reinforcement.
This process of hand feed have seen Giraffes getting more comfortable and less fear which increases safety and create more connection and trust between animal and keeper.
Behavioural Training
Animals are trained to enter the night-room and crush voluntary. Different feeding styles are provided to encourage them to move around the enclosure which promote foraging instinct and give them a choice and control in their own environment and keep them occupied. Scatter feeding feeding helps stretch and manipulate their long tongues to wrap around and pull small pieces of browse, leaves and cubes inside the PVC pipes as part of enrichment.
Reason for Training
I have introduced this training so that it can help them overcome fear, increase safety for keepers as they feed, and encourage full body observation and ability to touch them without fear. This will in the future allow us to do blood draws with the veterinary team, X Ray, body weight, safe movement during relocation if need be and possibility of doing hoof trimming.
Tools
I use browse for hand feed as a strategy to get closer to them and do body observation which build trust as well. Since they are afraid of new objects, I attach browse on a target stick and encourage them to eat from different sides which make them move around and promote stationing.
Documentation
I have created a training plan and SOP which await approval, they guide me on the procedures I need to follow during training and for safety considerations during training. The training guide me to the steps to follow in order to get required behaviours for which everything has to be recorded on a checklist to monitor observed behaviours during daily training for further adjustments and progress tracking.
Conclusion
Behavioural training increase safety and creates trust and connection between keepers and animals. Animals always respond to how we make them feel,it is important to pay attention on their emotions and behaviours through observation and training participation because our endless efforts create a long lasting impact on the lives and behaviours of animals.