Blyde Wildlife Estate to relocate giraffe after attack on woman and her son

2018-09-14 20:21
A handout picture released by Chester Zoo of the calf and its mother.  (Chester Zoo, AFP)

A handout picture released by Chester Zoo of the calf and its mother. (Chester Zoo, AFP)

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Blyde Wildlife Estate plans to relocate the female giraffe that attacked a woman and her son earlier this month. 

"Once all the procedures and requirements are in place, the giraffe will be relocated," Marina Botha, a family spokesperson, said in a statement.

The giraffe, which had given birth shortly before, attacked Katy Williams and her three-year-old son Finn. 

According to Botha, Katy has regained consciousness, but Finn continued to be sedated. 

"Katy's recovery is going well and her condition is improving daily. She understands that it will take time to recover fully, but she has a positive attitude and she is surprising doctors with her rapid progress. 

"We can confirm that he [Finn] is breathing independently and we hope to have more information in the near future," Botha added.

She said the estate's manager Riaan Cilliers said the property was home to many different species of plains game only, but that dangerous animals such as lions, elephants and leopards, were not in the area where the Williams family resided. 

Botha said Cilliers added that an animal's behaviour could be unpredictable and could change when there was a young one around.

Katy and Finn were waiting for her husband, Sam, to return from a trail run on the estate near Hoedspruit when they were attacked by the giraffe.  

Katy is communicating by writing words and sentences on paper, Botha said. 

Friends of the family started a fundraiser on behalf of Katy and Finn to assist with their recovery.