Abby is one of our star attraction at Areena Riverside Resort. He is a hand reared male Giraffe, and as a result he is very close and comfortable with humans. He has free reign of the 350ha property that is Areena’s Private Game Reserve and of course being a rather large creature that is designed to eat off trees. He and his herd of female giraffe roam freely over a large distance browsing on a variety of trees, shrubs and bushes.
Abby came to us from a near by game reserve at just a few months old, we were tasked with bottle feeding this relatively large baby, OR Abnormally Big BabY… A.B.B.Y and this is how he got his name. During this time he lived in Areena’s Animal Touch Farm and became good friends with the goats and the people who came to feed and touch him, this is how he became so tame.
Later Abby was released into Areena’s Private Game Reserve, where he sired many a giraffe calves, but still Abby gravitated towards the entrance of the Resort and the main road in the hopes of encountering people to give them kisses and get some treats.
His kisses are legendary and many a Facebook profile picture consists of an individual getting a sloppy kiss from Abby.
Abby is so popular that he has his own blog section on this website. We would love to receive your pictures taken with Abby or hear about your interaction with him so we can add your story to his blog. Of course the #abbykiss can only grow from here.
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Areena Riverside Resort, Caravan Park & Private Game Reserve
Avery moving and joyful experience. The staff and guide were extremely pleasant and helpful:) - Rod
We have visited Areena again as we were back in South Africa for holidays and the Abby Experience was still great. Nice staff, very children friendly area and we went with a safari car to Abby which was of course fun. The ranger was very patient with us and provided us with lots of information and took care of Abby well :). We will come back some day! - Eva
The experience was out of this world. The kids really enjoy seeing the animal especially playing with giraffes. The staff is super friendly and very knowledgeable. This made my birthday highlight indeed. Well done guys. - Tash
The guide was warm and friendly. We felt safe and had a blast feeding Abby. Would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves animals and enjoys being up close to these gentle giants. Such a sweet experience! We'll definitely do it again! - Stephanie
I had such a memorable and amazing experience! The staff and guide were incredibly friendly and welcoming, which made the day even more special. Feeding the giraffe was an unforgettable experience --- definitely something I can proudly tick off my bucket list. The interaction was not rushed at all, and I got to take many beautiful photos. The "kiss lick" was the cherry on top! During the drive, we also got to see many other beautiful animals. The guide kindly allowed time for stops and photos, which made the experience even better. Tip: It's best to pre-book for the restaurant. I didn't know beforehand, but the staff were so accommodating and helped me get a table. I got to enjoy a delicious meal with stunning views of the river --- and the food was excellent for such a reasonable price. Thank you to everyone at Areena Riverside for an incredible experience! - Grace
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