Giraffes in a boat? 8 taken to Kenyan island

[February 12, 2011]  NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- Eight giraffes got a very rare ride to their new home -- in a boat.

The endangered Rothschilds giraffes were ferried by barge to a reserve on an island in Kenya's Lake Baringo earlier this week. Conservation leaders built a small pen on the barge that was covered in plastic sheeting. Only the giraffes' necks could be seen sticking out above the pen as they moved across the lake. There are four females and four males in the group, and conservation leaders hope they will reproduce, said Elodie Sampere of the Northern Rangelands Trust. If the giraffes thrive, more may be taken to the island. Rothschilds giraffes -- also known as Baringo giraffes, after the lake -- are listed as endangered. Only a few hundred remain in the wild. [Associated Press] Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.