When giraffes fly
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If you're one who's likely to complain about personal space on flights, spare a thought for New Zealand's newest resident, Fanana.
The 2.6 metre male giraffe has made the flight across the Tasman, scraping in just under the maximum height requirements for the aircraft in his 2.9m-high cage.
Fanana, a nine-month-old who hails from NSW's Taronga Western Plains Zoo, was lifted onto Auckland Airport's tarmac at about 8am on Thursday.
During his journey to Christchurch's Orana Wildlife Park, Fanana will experience travel by air, road and sea, with a ferry due to chauffeur him across the Cook Straight on Thursday night.
So far Fanana hasn't had to be sedated and is described as "easy going".
Orana Park staff say Fanana was flown across the Tasman because he is the optimum height and the journey is quicker and easier on the animal.
"If we had to transfer him by boat, it would be a much longer journey," Orana Wildlife Park spokesman Nathan Hawke told NZ Newswire.
"Any animal transport is really stressful so if we can eliminate that through getting them here quickly then that's what we do."
Fanana is being brought to Orana Wildlife Park to replace Harold, the park's only bull who died last year.
Orana says the nine-month-old giraffe is a good match for the park's female giraffes and brings their herd to five.
The park has successfully bred 17 calves to date.
Earlier this year, a 15-month-old female giraffe named Nakuru was shipped from Auckland Zoo to Melbourne for breeding.
Nakuru's arrival was delayed after her ship detoured to rescue a Victorian solo yachtsman who got into trouble off the coast of Australia.
At 4.2 metres, Nakuru's crate was too high for her to fly.