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by Tim L. Tetzlaff,
Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens A Life Changing 14 Minutes with a Giraffe
Director of Conservation,
art’s in! I check my watch. mounted .50 caliber guns as part of this effort to create a
It’s 11:34 a.m. Veterinarian safety net population as a hedge against losing the last few
DDr. Sara Ferguson, Giraffe hundred of this endangered subspecies.
Conservation Foundation’s (GCF) To advance efforts like these, Naples Zoo fully funds the
Conservation Health Coordinator, annual salary of Dr. Ferguson who supports GCF’s work
maneuvers her truck away from in 20 countries. Operations like these share a common
the giraffe through the grasses of thread: they rely on medications like antibiotics and anti-
Uganda’s Murchison Falls National inflammatory drugs. Yet wildlife veterinarians face a
Park. Now we wait for signs that significant challenge. Most dosages for exotic species are
the tranquilizer is taking effect. Time passes. Cape buffalo based on extrapolations from domestic animals, which
graze nearby. Behind us, the waters of the Nile flow on don’t always align. For example, zoo researchers discovered
toward Egypt. a giraffe’s unique physiology metabolized one drug in 48
11:41 a.m. It’s time. The next minutes are a blur. Sara drives up. Six hours that typically takes 4 months in cattle.
of us burst from every part of the truck into the open savanna. We’re So at the request of Dr. Ferguson, I set about creating a working
grasping onto a single, thick, smooth rope. Three sprint in front of the group that has now initiated two pharmacokinetic studies which will
giraffe raising one end of the rope across the chest as we hold the other confirm dosages and understand how long drugs remain effective–one
end. We run alongside and then guide the giraffe down when it stops. of these studies is being led by Naples Zoo veterinarian Dr. Kelsie
Then things speed up even faster: Secure the head. Put the blinder on Stovall. With giraffes trained for voluntary blood draws at multiple
the eyes. Find the dart. Reverse the drug. Free the rope. Rub cooling accredited zoos, we can gather data that would be impossible to collect
water on her. Watch those kicking legs. Bring the bolt cutters. in the wild. This research not only supports life saving interventions in
Yes. Bolt cutters. We’re here because a wire snare is relentlessly Africa, but also improves the care of our giraffes.
carving its way into her leg. Poachers snare antelope to sell the meat If you’d like to see the work of Giraffe Conservation Foundation
– and giraffes, lions, and chimpanzees are among the many other in the wilds of Namibia and Botswana, check the itinerary at www.
animals inadvertently caught in the cruel traps. napleszoo.org/travel and join me and GCF co-founders in October
It’s 11:45. The wire is out. Dr. Ferguson now cleans the wound 2025 for an exclusive boutique safari for just five couples tracking
and applies a topical antiseptic to the gruesome flesh and injects a giraffes across Etosha National Park, exploring the Skeleton Coast’s
long lasting antibiotic. Then we take the blinder off and pull back. The dramatic dunes, and experiencing the wildlife rich Okavango Delta.
giraffe snaps upright, takes a few steps. Then she runs free of her cruel Every visit to Naples Zoo, donation, and participant on a conservation
tether. It’s 11:48 a.m. I breathe again. It’s a life changing day for that safari contributes to this ongoing story. Together, we’re ensuring that
giraffe. giraffes continue to roam Africa’s savannas for generations to come.
A few years later over lunch in Everglades City, Dr. Ferguson To learn more or support these efforts, visit
shared a then recent story of translocating eight West African giraffes NaplesZoo.org/conserve
through Niger when the US State Department listed it as “Level 4 Do Together, we can create a brighter, more resilient future
Not Travel” country. The convoy she led required armed escorts with
for people and wildlife.
Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit entrusted with educating families and caring for rare species in a century old historic garden. Since 2014, Naples
Zoo has invested over $3.5 million saving plants and animals in the wild and fully funds the annual salary of 27 field staff in 7 countries including three wildlife veterinarians.
To learn more about how you can invest in a better future for people and wildlife, email tim@napleszoo.org.

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