Head's up: Shira the giraffe is on its way to Timaru

Shira makes her way through Mt Eden Village in Auckland. Photo / Twitter

Timaru has a tall order coming its way - as Auckland Zoo's 2-year-old giraffe Shira began a three-day sea voyage south this morning.

The young female - travelling in a 4.2m purpose-built crate - is being relocated to Christchurch's Orana Wildlife Park as part of the zoo's regional breeding programme.

Shira's voyage started at 9.45am with a road trip through suburban Auckland to the Ports of Auckland, where she will board the Quadrant Pacific Liner, Shansi, a 25,000-tonne container ship.

Shira with her mother Rukiya soon after she was born in 2013. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Although today was the first time Shira had been away from the zoo, she took her half-hour road trip to the port in her stride, deigning from time to time to peer out from her vantage point three times higher than cars lined up behind her along Balmoral and Mt Eden roads.

A zoo spokeswoman said the trip in her elongated olive green float, along a route approved for her height, went without a hitch and "the traffic was on our side."

She caught a few curious glances from passengers waiting for buses through Mount Eden Village, before they returned to consulting their mobile phones, although one young woman remarked that she had seen it all previously as it was the "usual" route for deliveries from the zoo.

On our way #giraffeonthemove pic.twitter.com/ymgtjcVySK

— Auckland Zoo (@aucklandzoo) November 24, 2015

Mt Eden Village #giraffeonthemove pic.twitter.com/LFn2rNDg31

— Auckland Zoo (@aucklandzoo) November 24, 2015

#giraffeonthemove pic.twitter.com/WuxKVL4V7m

— Auckland Zoo (@aucklandzoo) November 24, 2015

#giraffeonthemove pic.twitter.com/WuxKVL4V7m

— Auckland Zoo (@aucklandzoo) November 24, 2015

Shira will be integrated into a herd of three other female giraffes at Orana, and will be joined early next year by her friend and half-sister Mdomo, who will follow her from Auckland Zoo along the same route.

The zoo's Pridelands team leader, Nat Sullivan, said that although it was "sad to see these youngsters go", their relocation to Orana was a great move for the regional breeding programme in which Auckland is participating with other zoos through Australasia.

Orana was a previous home of Shira and Mdomo's father, who remains at Auckland Zoo.

The Christchurch wildlife park hopes ultimately to find a suitable male to play its part in propagating what head keeper of exotic animals Rob Clifford called "these wonderful gentle giants."

Auckland Zoo vet manager Dr James Chatterton, Mrs Sullivan and keeper Larry Lee will escort Shira on her journey.

Mrs Sullivan said on-board giraffe luggage will include medical supplies, enrichment items, and some of Shira's favourite foods.

"Shira will be placed in a protected area on the ship and we'll have full access to be with her and check on her at all times to assist her in feeling safe and secure, and hopefully we'll get a smooth sailing."

Shira's journey

• 9.45am: Inside her crate, a truck will take Shira from Auckland Zoo to the Ports of Auckland via Old Mill Rd, Motions Rd, Great North Rd, St Lukes Rd, Balmoral Rd, Mt Eden Rd (through Mt Eden shops), Symonds St, Anzac Ave and Beach Rd.

• Mid-afternoon: The Shansi will depart.

• Thursday/Friday: Arrive in Timaru and travel another three hours via road to Orana Wildlife Park.

Tall order: Shira the giraffe

• Born in 2013, is the offspring of male Zabulu (a Rothschild giraffe) and female Rukiya (part Rothschild).

• The Rothschild giraffe has an estimated wild population of just 670 animals. An additional 450 are in zoos.

• There is just one species of giraffe, the world's tallest land animal, but 9 sub-species. Since 1998, habitat loss and poaching has resulted in giraffe populations plummeting from 140,000 to just 80,000.

• Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund supports the research and conservation work of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.