We had our unbelievable visit to the Taronga Giraffes! And yes, in the face of them I was in tears of joy! We thought to share a little more about the giraffes, that we learnt and a poem that I have written about our experience.
The giraffe, the indlulamithi in Zulu, as you can imagine has a special place in our hearts! The giraffe is especially connected with our work at Aspirall as they symbolise grace, peace, individuality, protection, communication, perception and farsightedness. How special and perfect is that!
The giraffe zookeeper shared with us that giraffes will be extinct in 60 years if we carry on as we are.
“Many people remain unaware that the world’s tallest animal is experiencing a silent slide towards extinction. Giraffe numbers plummeted by a staggering 40% in the last three decades and less than 100,000 remain today.
Recently two giraffe subspecies have been listed as Critically Endangered for the first time. Subspecies in Africa are faring particularly poorly, the Kordofan and Nubian giraffes, with respectively 2,000 and 2,645 individuals remaining, are now just one stage from Extinct in the wild.
Although these new listings sound the alarm, there is reason for hope. In the past few decades, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation pulled the West African giraffe back from the brink of extinction.” (extract from the Born Free Foundation).
Here is my poem of our experience:
In the Presence of Giraffe
All too fast
Can you comprehend
what is before you
Can you pause to know what presence is here
Sweet giant
Elegant towering creature
of magnificence
Beyond any earthly realm
And she is here
Stately and true
Tongue winding around sweet offering
Eyes sparkling as long lashes softly touch
She is grace
The divinity of nature before us
© Tanya Diesel 2019
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