Birth control for Israeli giraffe

See the giraffes

A female giraffe in Jerusalem has been put on birth control after a "baby boom" at the city's Biblical Zoo.

The zoo's most fertile female, Shavit, received an injection of hormones that will prevent her from getting pregnant for at least a year.

The five-year-old has given birth twice in four years, and zoo officials say they do not have the facilities to cope with the current population of nine.

The giraffes cannot be moved abroad because of foot-and-mouth fears.

Although the babies are cute and female giraffes make good mothers, there is not enough room for more, a zoo official said.

Zookeepers also said they were worried about inbreeding.

Two giraffes were recently moved to a zoo in Singapore but American and European zoos have refused to take animals because of the risk of foot-and-mouth disease, the zoo confirmed.

The birth control hormones were administered by dart - a unique delivery method, according to the zoo's head vet.

Shavit will be monitored throughout the year and the findings shared with zoos in Berlin and San Diego, he said.