Rain Farm game lodge has welcomed the newest addition to their reserve, Stretch the newborn giraffe.
The 300 hectare game farm, which is situated about 15 minutes from Ballito is home to a variety of grassland game. Fifteen years ago the reserve was just sugar cane fields, but owner Douglas Nidd and his family rehabilitated the land back to natural grassland.
There are around 350 animals on the reserve and towering above the rest are a healthy herd of giraffe.
The herd was bolstered by Stretch’s birth on March 21, and now a total of six giraffe call the reserve home.
Stretch was not the first giraffe to be born on the reserve.
“The first unfortunately did not make it due to a snake bite but our second giraffe Shorty, born in October 2012, is doing very well,” said Nidd.
The herd is now made up of two adult males, two adult females, one young female and one infant male.
Nidd is happy to see that the animals are flourishing.
“We are most encouraged by the successful breeding of the game thus far. It shows that the animals have enough food and water, have adapted to the climate and their surroundings and are very happy and relaxed,” he said.
Nidd says that Stretch’s birth means the reserve will not be introducing any more giraffe for a while.
“With the positive breeding currently occurring at the farm we are hoping to continue growing our herd at a slow and steady rate for the expansion of our farm.”
The Nidds are busy preparing another 300 hectares of land to expand the reserve and acacia trees are being planted to cater for the giraffes’ grazing.
The little one is still busy settling in and is spending a lot of time with his mom.
“So far, Stretch has been introduced to the rest of the herd. But mom is still keeping herself and Stretch apart from the group until he is ready to keep up with the herd and defend himself from the usual herd baisterous interaction that occurs.”
Aside from the giraffe, the reserve has been selling some of its game to avoid overstocking before the expansion.
A date for the completion of the expansion has not been set due to the lengthy process of rehabilitating the land.
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