Young giraffe staying relaxed on journey through NZ

Nine-month-old giraffe, Fanana, is pleased to see Orana Park Wildlife Park head keeper, exotics, Rob Clifford after arriving on a truck at the Interislander terminal. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Fanana the giraffe is completing a 3000km journey from Sydney to Christchurch by air, road, and sea in just 24 hours.

Fanana, who is 9 months old and stands at 2.6m tall, is headed to Christchurch's Orana Wildlife Park.

Born at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Sydney, Fanana is going to be Orana's breeding bull after his predecessor, Harold, died last year.

Fanana was on a unique journey because some of it was by air, Orana's zoological manager Rob Hall said.

"They normally travel the whole journey by sea. Fanana stands 2.6m tall and his travel crate measures 2.9m, the maximum height to fit in the aircraft."

Weeks of preparation has gone into organising Fanana's transfer, including training the giraffe to be in the crate without stress, organising trucks and transport assistance and liaising with the various organisations involved.

Fanana left Auckland yesterday and travelled to Wellington by road, where he boarded an Interislander ferry.

The sailing was expected to be smooth and he is due to arrive in Christchurch this morning.

It is not the first time Interislander has transported animals. In December 2010, two lions were sent over the Cook Strait on their way from Orana Wildlife Park to Wellington Zoo.