The social organization of giraffe has only recently been discovered to have a multi-level structure, and the scientific community lacks the proper understanding of how problems facing giraffe, both in the wild and in captivity, will affect this social organization. In an effort to develop understanding regarding both social and behavioral patterns of captive giraffe, we collected nearest neighbor data and behavioral observations, totaled all affiliative interactions, calculated association strengths, and compiled records of abnormal behaviors of the zoo herd at the Bronx Zoo in the Bronx, New York. Focusing on age as a defining variable within social patterns and relationships, results were discerned, indicating both the presence of maintained relationships between specific giraffe and abnormal behavior exhibited by five of the six giraffe. Further studies focusing on behavioral and social patterns will aid in the safeguarding of the giraffe, as well as provide wild populations with a more stable future. Understanding dynamics of the giraffe is also necessary for the application of appropriate conservation methods.
