The Giraffe House Wildlife Awareness Centre in Stellenbosch
For some time I would drive past the Giraffe House on my way to wine farms in the Stellenbosch area, and was always intrigued as to what lay behind the fence. Did they have a real giraffe? Was it like a mini game farm? What did they do there? My friends also said the same thing, so I decided it was time to find out!
Is there a giraffe at the Giraffe House?
Yes, they do have a giraffe, called Gerry! Gerry was orphaned through a very necessary game capture (she was too small at the time to be loaded onto a truck as she would’ve been squashed) so she was hand-reared by a game ranger. She’s now five years old and still gets two bottles a day, just because she loves it. The public are welcome to view her feeding at 14h00 daily, although this time may vary slightly according to her needs. The exciting news is that Gerry may soon be getting a boyfriend who will be a few years younger than her. Lucky girl!
Meet Gerry the giraffe, see ostriches and Blue duiker at the Giraffe House.
Other animals at the Giraffe House
In addition to Gerry the giraffe (the tallest animal on earth), they have the largest African antelope (Eland), the largest living bird (ostrich) and the smallest buck in Africa (Blue duiker). You’ll also be able to see zebra, springbok, impala, Vervet monkeys, Bat-eared foxes, tortoises, snakes, crocodiles, meerkats, a warthog, our national bird, being the Blue Crane and lots of other interesting African wildlife. As Giraffe House is essentially an educational and awareness facility, there are plenty of information boards and staff are on hand to answer any questions from inquiring minds.
Interactive shows at the Giraffe House
Through interactive animal encounters (held daily), children are introduced to hissing cockroaches, a tarantula, an African toad, an egg-eater snake, a python and an Australian dragon. While the children are learning more about creatures that generally give us the chills, the brave ones can handle them too. I was the only “volunteer” at the time, so I got to play in my own series of Fear Factor! I think holding the tarantula was my greatest achievement (and I had it sitting on my face at one point too – very brave of me!), but was most disappointed that toad didn’t actually turn into a prince when I gave it a kiss! These shows are fun (even for one) and will keep kids amused and interested while they learn important facts. Animal encounters are at 11h00, 13h00 and 15h00, but check on the day as this can vary depending on large groups, school visits and the number of visitors.
Feeding of animals at Giraffe House
When you arrive at Giraffe House everyone is given a feeding bucket filled with pellets that can be fed to the goats, chickens, cows and even the ostrich (you have to be brave for that!) Gerry also likes pellets on occasion so keep some aside for her. The eland is partial to them too, but watch out, he likes to take the entire bucket out of your hands! I found it quite amusing to know that the staff are forever clearing plastic feeding buckets out of the eland’s enclosure!
Children’s birthday parties at the Giraffe House
Children will love the Giraffe House! There are animals to look at, animals to feed and interesting creatures to hold. There is also a jungle gym and jumping castle to play on, as well as a kiosk with cool drinks and snacks. That also makes it a great place to hold a kids party. A birthday party costs R75 per child which includes entrance, use of the thatched venue with balloons and table setting, a party pack with treats and a small toy, a feeding bucket and an interactive reptile show. Adults at the party pay R35 and this includes entrance, the reptile show and coffee and tea.
Feed the goats, watch the meerkats and meet Betsie the warthog at the Giraffe House.
Wild animals do not make good pets
I feel you should know that some of the animals at the Giraffe House are there through sad circumstances. Meerkats seem cute and clever (which they are), but they also bite! Interestingly, it is not their owners they choose to bite, but rather their owner’s visitors. Meerkats are family animals and see their owners as part of their clan. Visitors, however, are not part of that clan and are seen to appropriately. Which is one of the reasons why no-one should have a meerkat as a pet. Another example of this is a recent addition, Betsie the warthog. Betsie was also a much-loved pet, until she got too big and became destructive. Now Betsie lives in an enclosure at Giraffe House, where she still likes to rearrange her blankets in her house. Then there are jackals and Vervet monkeys which have been kept as pets and then got confiscated when found by authorities or handed over when their owners can’t take care of them anymore. To stop this happening, we need to make people aware that wild animals generally do not make for good pets and if an orphan is found, it is better to hand it over to the professionals, rather than bring it up yourself (no matter how cute it may seem at the time). This is another thing that Giraffe House are teaching youngsters (and adults) who visit the facility.
I am glad I finally visited the Giraffe House. The enclosures are well done (I am not a fan of zoos) and all the animals appear to have lots of room and seem happy. What I really liked was that many of the walled enclosures have glass panels in them, so little ones can see through, rather than having to be picked up to see over. The meerkats, being the cheeky little charmers that they are, are very quick to come take a look at you through the glass! I also learnt new facts about animals, held a tarantula and got hugged by a python. I have vowed to return soon – they have almost completed the giraffe-deck and I can’t wait to see Gerry eye-to eye!
Contact details for the Giraffe House
The Giraffe House is on the R304 towards Stellenbosch from Cape Town, or the R101 towards Paarl. They are open every day of the year, except Christmas Day, from 09h00 to 17h00.
Tel 021-884-4506, email [email protected], www.giraffehouse.co.za.
Kids can play on the jungle gym, learn more about animals and have a party.
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