Bring out the birthday cake! Moja the giraffe, one of Chessington World of Adventure’s loftiest residents, will officially become an adult (in human years) tomorrow, 3 July. Planning a major milestone birthday was a TALL order for the zookeepers, but they rose to the challenge with a special birthday cake as well as a whole lot of birthday pampering for his HIGH-ness. Walking tall at 18.5 feet, Moja is both the oldest and tallest Rothschild’s giraffe at the London zoo.
These gentle giants are the tallest mammals in the world reaching up to 19 feet tall, even newborn giraffes are taller than most humans! Giraffes consume a hefty 75 pounds of food daily, made up of hay, fruits, vegetables and pellets. Moja’s special birthday cake was shaped into the number 18 and made from a mixture of butternut squash, cabbage and pellets.
Becky Apperley-Gawn, Senior Hoofstock Keeper at Chessington World of Adventures said: “Celebrating the 18th birthday of our beloved Moja is a wonderful occasion for all of us here at Chessington zoo. It’s a testament to our commitment to providing the highest standard of care to these magnificent creatures. Watching him grow and thrive over the years has been an incredible journey, and we’re excited to share this special milestone with our visitors.”
Having only just celebrated World Giraffe Day on 21 June, Chessington raised over £2,000 for the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, which works to protect and preserve the giraffe populations in the wild through research, habitat conservation, and community education programmes.
Get up close with these gentle giants by purchasing a day ticket starting at just £29 and add on a thrilling VIP experience! Feed the giraffes for only £45 or embark on a giraffe safari for £55 per person. Book tickets here: https://www.chessington.com/.
