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DaisyGiraf' s GIRAFFE

This page would not have become a reality for me if it wasn't for the kindnesses of :
Joyce who scanned my photographs - and -
forwarded a few
pictures when I
needed fillers....
and Lacy who found
the background
and
framed some photos....

Thank you both !

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Jumbo ! !

and

Welcome

to

Carole's

World

of

Giraffe / Twiga!

If you stick around for awhile, I will introduce you to my real Rothschild Giraffe -

JIMONNOMI !

( a blend of the names of our two sons - John Robert and James Clifford. )

Jimonnomi lives and plays in Kenya, under the watchful eyes of many Patrols - as the Rothschild Giraffe is an endangered species of giraffe .

But, that story comes a bit later down this page!.

I cannot remember a time in my life that I wasn't "in love" with giraffe - AND - as Evelyn says;

" that sure is a LONG, LONG, LONG time!"......

Guess age 56 and counting does seem like a long time to an almost 9 year old young lady.....

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This is NOT my
giraffe..

NOPE, that one is not
my giraffe..

Everyone who has met me knows that I have this passion for these beautiful and most graceful of God's animals. I have filled several scrapbooks over the years with Giraffe items (note paper, greeting cards, post cards, pictures and articles about them - all sent or given to me by friends)

Still others sit on shelves in various rooms in the house, quietly waiting to be seen by people. There are giraffe puzzles, books, glasses, tote bags, waterballs and of course Beanies and other stuffed ones. There are even some living in the attic - they are big ones that I made in our ceramic studio and they sat on the floor here in the den among several plants - but when the twin grandsons and their walkers were in here the large ones had to seek the safety of the attic - for awhile.....

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A picture sent to me
by a friend - but - it
is not a Rothschild
Giraffe

This is NOT mine either.........

When I was born, back in the dark ages, 1941, I had hardly any neck and I, unfortunately, inherited the three chins of my daddy's family.

(Friends of my parents said I looked like Winston Churchill.)

BARF ! !

Perhaps not having a real neck steered me towards the giraffe ??

Who knows??

All I know is that I wanted my very own giraffe!

It could live and play on the parking garage roof where I played and also go the 1 block to Lake Michigan to frolic with me on the sands....

But, my parents said;

"NO."

Then, we moved back to D C when I was 5.

A giraffe could have lived on our screened - in porch!

Again, tho, came the horrible reply;

"NO! !"

I had been to the Zoos both in Chicago and in D C, but, neither at that time had giraffe, so little did I know of their real size.

I just loved them and wanted one! !

Being an only child I got lonesome and in time, I settled for some really nice dogs and kittens.......

BUT........

I STILL WANTED A GIRAFFE ! !

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This albino giraffe near the Mara Game Reserve, protected by the dense foliage.
The Masai tribesman finally agreed to
help Reinhard Kunkel find it - one
he convinced them he only wanted
to hunt with camera -- and the camera
would not capture it's soul.
Picture from National Greographic
and in my scrapbook...

Years went by and I continued to collect giraffe with the help of many --

(oh, for those of you who didn't know, I am basically homebound.)

Then, one day our sons attended something over in Baltimore, MD with some friends.

They brought back a 'Baltimore Sun' newspaper as there was write-up of the function they attended in it.

Now, I seldom ever read a newspaper as I am so allergic to the newsprint.

However, as the paper was still sitting in the den a few days later and seemed to have aired out, I picked it up and quickly glanced through it.

My eyes fell onto an article about a new book.

"Raising Daisy Rothschild ... The story of two delightful
young people and how they raised and grew to love
a young giraffe.... or two".

I nearly flipped!

Here was a couple living out my dream!!

I HAD TO HAVE THIS BOOK.....

Quickly, I called the bookstore and ordered the book.

The book arrived in time for Tim (my husband) to give it to me that Christmas!!

That holiday found me getting over another case of bronchial pneumonia, so I had no trouble finding the time to read the book.

I read it all in one day - AND - had to write to the authors, Betty and Jock Leslie-Melville, at once!!

All I knew was that they lived at a place called Langata, Nairobi, Kenya.

I sent the letter to them at that simple address.

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Betty and Daisy on their front lawn with a few of the
Warthogs....

WHAT IS A

ROTHSCHILD

GIRAFFE ?

The Rothschild is very different from the other species.

It is the tallest of them all (19 feet) and weighs 3,000 lbs.

They are the only giraffe that have white legs from the knees down.

And, the male Rothschild Giraffe has 5 horns. All giraffe have 2 (actually 3, as the bump on their fore-head is really a horn.)

The extra two of the male are behind the two taller front ones.

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Daisy and Marlon, the second adopted Rothschild Giraffe.

Right after Christmas we celebrated my birthday and then the New Year 1978!

A few days into the New Year a letter arrived.. It was from Betty.

They had indeed received my "fan" letter.

She wrote that they were coming to the States in early Spring to host a few Giraffe Galas.......

She wanted to know IF I would like to make some ceramic giraffe that they could auction off?

I pinched myself over and over.

Nope it wasnt a dream!

This was just so unbelievable....

She had no idea what my works even looked like (but said that with my "passion" of them, she was certain they were "great"..) and yet they wanted some.

Could I ? ?

Would I ? ?

Yes, yes, yes !

Well, of course I said, "YES" ! !

If I couldn't raise one here I could at least help someone who was!

Betty, I learned from the book was born and raised in Baltimore, MD.

Her daughter was at that time in Baltimore getting ready for medical school and we talked over what I would make etc..

The excitement was contagious.

Soon, the family was all involved. Tim and our sons then 15 and 11 1/2 learned how to make safe shipping crates and took many off to Baltimore-Washington Airport for their distinations in Los Angeles.

The ones for Baltimore and Philadelphia were transported by car and van and LOVE!

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This is me surrounded by a few
of the giraffe I made for
the Galas.

I heard later,
from Betty and Jock,
that several
were purchased and
"living" with Betty White,
Jack Paar, Candice Bergen
and Brooke Shields.

WOW !

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Betty and Dasiy enjoying a snack on the front lawn

WHAT

is a

Giraffe Gala? ?

Betty and Jock formed AFEW (African Fund for Endangered Wildlife) with offices in Kenya and Baltimore MD.

The idea was to raise monies to save more of these wonderful giraffe.

Betty and Jock decided to hold balls and have botiques and auctions at them to raise more funds.

They were a HUGE success.

One could even bid on a Safari to Kenya and for $500.00 adopt and name their very own Rothschild.

Betty and Jock had just married and moved into an old home and were busy restoring it, when a friend of theirs contacted them about these rare Rothschild Giraffe (there were less than 130 left and the area where they lived was being sold.)

These giraffe needed to be translocated, but it didn't seem very likely - (and, it was just a matter of time before the poachers would get them.)

Betty and Jock's friends had seen some other giraffe on their property and called to see if they would be allowed to at least adopt one.

There was a lot of red tape but they got the permission to give it a try.

They headed out with friends who were familiar with the area and within a short time they located a young female whose mother had been killed by poachers.

The young one was quite weak from hunger when it was found.

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Daisy being moved from the old home to Betty and Jock's estate.

In 1979 the book "Raising Daisy Rothschild..." was made into a movie with Betty being protrayed by Susan Anspach, and Simon Ward was cast as Jock.

The movie was " The Last Giraffe" and was purchased by CBS-TV. We were invited to the premiere on June 6th and the movie aired on TV June 7th.

It was filmed in Kenya and around Giraffe Manor (Betty and Jock's home). Several young giraffe played Daisy, but they flew in a "Hollywood" Lion for one scene.

The movie was and is a delight.

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Since the first adoption went so well, they got permission to adopt another. Marlon is named for Marlon Brando.

In 1981 our sons were invited to visit Betty and Jack and the now famous Daisy and Marlon.

The boys spent the summer getting Student Visa's and other necessary papers for the trip. The flew the once a week Southern Route (18 hours with only an hour stop over in Nigeria to refuel.) They were over there for 18 days. But, sadly, by the time they got there Jock was having a real battle with complications with a brain tumor. The boys were to go to Malindi with Betty and Jock to their beach home - but instead they took a "bus" a mini van that sat and held almost 20 people and they went alone......(luckily, we did NOT know this at the time - as we would have WORRIED !) The boys were to call us transatlantic upon their arrival (they flew on the day of the BIG air comptroller strike.)..... However, when they safely landed in Nairobi, it was the beginning of a seista time (they close down everything for days on end)...

Here are some photos from their trip ! !

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The Galas, and adoptions brought in more monies, as did the speaking engagements around the world.

Donations made it possible to purchase more land and this meant that more Rothschild could be successfully relocated to Lake Nakuru National Park, then some to Ruma National Park and several breeding pairs to The Nasolo Reserve (here there are no other giraffe at all, so there isn't any inter- breeding so though is no fear of any sub-species starting up....

Pure, 100% Rothschild Giraffe !

But, there is always the growing need for more money.

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Children visiting the AFEW

AFEW is dedicated to education!

Every month school children are bused in free and AFEW Instructors teach them about conservation. (40,000 children a year)

This is important as about 85% of Africans never see their "wildlife".

We just assume that everyone in Africa knows what these animals look like.

The Jock Leslie-Melville Santuary is open to the public daily at 4 o'clock after the school day closes.

Here the public gets to come into contact with the giraffe, warthogs and several other animals who now make this their home.

GCC: African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW)

Okay!

Ready ? ?

Meet

Jimonnomi,

my very own
male,
Rothschild Giraffe!

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Picture Below....

This is Evelyn, our granddaughter, getting an early start in her love for giraffe!

I hope she will one day be able to make the trip to Kenya like her Daddy and Uncle Jim did..

Evelyn, now 9, says she can be packed and ready to go in just a few minutes..

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The crib is one that Betty gave
us that her kids had used and
no longer needed. Grandpa
proudly painted it for Evelyn..

BOOKS

that we enjoy:

There's a Rhino in the Rose Bed, Mother by Betty and Jock Leslie-Melville

Elephant Have Right of Way by Betty and Jock Leslie-Melville

Raising Daisy Rothschild...the story of two delightful young people and how they raised and grew to love a young giraffe...or two by Betty and Jock Leslie-Melville

Bagamoyo, a Novel of Colonial Africa by Betty and Jock Leslie-Melville

A Falling Star, a true story of romance in Africa by Betty Leslie-Melville

Tall Blondes by Lynne Sherr

The Giraffe Lady, the Autobiography of Betty Leslie-
Melville (Tim and Evelyn attended the autograph party in Baltimore, MD for this one.) ***** This book is only available from AFEW and all n profits are donated to them. See address below.

For Children:

Daisy Rothschild, the Giraffe that Lives with Me by Betty Leslie-Melville

Elephant Have Right of Way, Life with the Wild Animals of Africa by Betty Leslie-Melville

Walter Warthog, the Warthog who moved in by Betty Leslie-Melville

Check your Library for the books, and your bookstores (Amazon.Com also has a good track record in finding some out-of-print books.)

Some books can be purchased from AFEW and autographed by Betty.

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The Peace Dove

Links:

What I Learned from Giraffe...

Welcome to our Little Corner of the Web

Trying to Live Normally When Surrounded by Multiple Chemical Sensitivities....

Sadly, Daisy and Jock are no longer with us, but they both live on with the care and management of the Rothschild Giraffe.

For inquiries on making donations, adopting a giraffe, or a warthog, or if you are planning to travel to Kenya, please feel free to contact:

AFEW

4602 Waterfall Court

Owings Mills

Maryland 21117

Telephone: 410 581 8116

Fax: 410 581 4993

Email: giraffem@erols.com

My name is Carole Bobst Ingraham,
and I am a gal with a great
homepage!

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My
Awards for
Your Page...

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please feel free to
copy one AND add the
link back here to my
page!

http://members.aol.com/DaisyGiraf/giraffe.html

Then, send me your page to view with the award on it.

Thank you!