As you may remember, Twiggy was whisked away by a handsome bull giraffe in November 2025. Even after the honeymoon period, she resolutely chose to remain in the wild. This was a bittersweet but ultimately triumphant moment for us: We rescued Twiggy when she was just a week old, and over the intervening four years, she had grown into a beloved fixture around Kaluku. However, as with every orphan who comes into our care, our goal was for Twiggy to return to the wild on her terms and be embraced by her own kind.

That full-circle moment had been achieved. In the months since, several of our drivers have spotted Twiggy while on their rounds — happy, healthy, and friendly as ever. We wondered if she would ever return to Kaluku, but contented ourselves with the fact that she was thriving in her wild life.

But yesterday morning, Twiggy felt compelled to return home. She loped through the compound and made a beeline for the stable block, where she knew her former Keepers would be. She recognised each one and gently stooped her head for a face-to-face hello.

Twiggy is in impeccable condition — her wild life obviously suits her! Interestingly, however, she does not appear to be pregnant. A giraffe's gestation period is about 15 months, so if her honeymoon had culminated in a successful mating, she would surely be showing by now. Perhaps motherhood is a bit further along on Twiggy's horizon.

Twiggy immediately slotted back into the old routines, striding down to mud bath to catch up with the orphaned elephants and then loitering around the gardens with the smaller orphans. It felt just like old times, our nanny giraffe surrounded by an assortment of buffalos, zebras, and antelopes. In fact, the only creature who seemed less-than-thrilled to see Twiggy was young Pips, who has grown quite fond of being the only giraffe at Kaluku!

Even after all the time that has passed, Twiggy clearly knows that she always has a home at Kaluku. We're not sure how long she will stay this time, but we are delighted to have her back in the fold.