Have you ever wondered which animal is most similar to a translation agency? We assume that you have never asked yourself that, but we did ask ourselves this question! A translation agency works prudently and carefully but can significantly speed up its work if necessary. Long legs are an advantage for this. As translators who not only simply convert words to another language, but fundamentally, capture meaning and context, we need an overview and foresight. Interpreters need a nimble tongue. All three characteristics are united in one beautiful and noble animal – the giraffe.

For this sponsorship, we have chosen the Rothschild giraffe which lives in the Ústí nad Labem zoo. Due to its distribution in the wild, the Rothschild giraffe is also known as the Ugandan giraffe. This endangered subspecies can easily be distinguished from other giraffes. The most visible difference is in colour. Typical differences are dark brown, speckled, or rectangular spots with cream-coloured lines in between. It can also be distinguished thanks to up to five "horns" on its head.

The first giraffe in Europe had already been admired in ancient Rome at the time of Caesar. The first calf bred in modern human care was born in London in 1839. The first giraffe in the territory of today’s Czech Republic finally came to Prague Zoo in 1954. The zoo in Ústí and Labem has been breeding Rothschild giraffes since 1983 and in 1987 little Tereza, a female, was born there.

GERMA is now a giraffe patron for a year, but we hope that mutual sympathies will remain for many years to come.