At the Central Park Zoo in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, a lonely giraffe named Benito, began a 50-hour road trip heading to a new home about 1,200 miles away for better and more moderate temperatures and also with the hopes of finding a mate.
According to a Change.org petition started in June 2023, the almost four-year-old giraffe had been taken from his mother and his home from a more suitable climate in Sinaloa, and transported to the “park” in Juarez where he was donated, and has had no access to grass, clean water, proper food or even shade. In the winter, temperatures have plunged to 39 degrees Fahrenheit; no shelter provided. The diet for Benito had been nearly entirely dependent on visitors. A giraffe named Modesto, who had lived at the zoo prior to Benito’s arrival, was said to have died due to the terrible condition.
On Monday, officials loaded Benito into a crate placed on a flat bed truck, strapping the giraffe to the back of the support. A tarp covers the giraffe and helps to protect him from the wind, cold and rain as well as from the noise and the sights of other vehicles and the quickly passing landscape that could easily scare Benito.
The container is 16.5 feet high, and attendants had been slowly getting Benito accustomed to his transport. He is being escorted by police, National Guard and environmental officials.
As for the comforts and nourishment for the trip, Benito’s enclosure is full of straw, alfalfa, water and vegetables; electronic equipment monitors the temperature and even allows technicians to talk to the animal.
We love you Benito!
Voices heard from the crowds who came to say goodbye
Benito is heading to the African Safari Park in central Puebla where the temperatures are at least 20 degrees warmer and more appropriate for the giraffe’s comfort and safety. There will be three female giraffes at Benito’s new home, and it is hoped he finds his own true love.
(Photo via the Central Park Zoo Mexico via Expedia travel)
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