Orphan giraffe gets its own safari travelling across Kenya to new home

The height of comfort! Orphan giraffe goes on its own safari on the back of a truck as it’s transported 165 miles across Kenya to a new home

  • Kiko the giraffe was driven from his Nairobi home to Sirikoi where he will one day be released back in the wild 
  • He travelled in a make-shift spacious box which was loaded on top of a truck and complete with foliage
  • Photos show Kiko settling in to his new home and making friends with eight-year-old female giraffe Nditu

This is the moment an orphan giraffe begins a 167 mile journey across Kenya to his new home – with the best view along the way.  

Kiko the giraffe was loaded into a specially built, spacious box on top of a truck, allowing his head to peak through above the space. 

He had best seat in house as he was driven from his Nairobi nursery to Sirikoi in North Kenya, part of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.   

Kiko begins his road journey as he is driven from Nairobi Nursery to a new home in North Kenya 

The orphan giraffe had been at the nursery since 2015 but had outgrown it. Above, he is loaded into the transporter

Kiko keeps a watchful eye on the road as he makes the 167 mile journeyto his new home

The giraffe was given the best seat in the house as he travelled across the country

Kiko arrived at the nursery in 2015 just days after losing his mother and was brought up among the orphan herd.

But his particular subspecies – reticulated giraffe – do not live in Nairobi National Park.

Staff from the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust sought to find this him a new home where he could eventually live among his wild kin.

Angela Sheldrick, CEO, said: ‘As time marched on and Kiko continued to blossom upwards, it was clear he was outgrowing nursery life and we began plans for Kiko’s translocation.’ 

Pictures show staff helping Kiko exit the truck and step into his new surroundings for the first time.

Kiko can also be seen cosying up with new friend, Nditu, an eight-year-old female who is also a hand-raised orphan.

Sheldrick added:  ‘It is so heart-warming to see how quickly their bond is forming, even in just the few days that Kiko has been at Sirikoi.

‘He is finally hanging out with his own kind and appears to be loving every minute of it.

‘It will be some time before he is ready to lead a fully wild life but, in the coming years, it is our hope that Kiko and Nditu will choose to join the ranks of large numbers of reticulated giraffes that live here.

‘In the meantime, he will be enjoying life in his beautiful new home.’

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust operates the most successful orphan elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in the world, caring for younger orphaned wild animals including elephants at their Nursery in Nairobi National Park.

Kiko prepares to leave the transporter and start life at his new home in Sirikoi, from where he will one day return to the wild

Kiki and his new friend Nditu explore their surroundings with one of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust keepers

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is on call every day of the year to ensure it is ready at any time to rescue orphaned animals 

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