Fota Wildlife Park, near Cobh, Co Cork, was yesterday celebrating the announcement of five new births.
Two giraffe calves, a European bison calf, an oryx calf and a zebra foal have all arrived to add to the growing Fota population in the last two weeks.
The announcement of the births coincides with a 12 per cent rise in attendances at Fota this year. Already 165,000 people have visited the park, with the expectation of greater numbers being attracted by the new additions.
Ms Carmel Conroy, administrator of the wildlife park, said yesterday that the public understanding of the conservation of these animals would help secure their future.
She said the giraffe calves would always be seen as the most attractive by the public.
The two baby giraffes have been named Caoimhe and Cillian. They add to what is now the largest giraffe herd in Britain or Ireland. Cillian is expected to join Caoimhe with the herd by the weekend.
The future success of the park, which is in its 20th year, would be enhanced by these recent births, said Ms Conroy.
The European bison and oryx calves are particular causes for joy, as they are two of the most endangered species after long traditions of being hunted. There are no oryxes left in the wild.
A number of European bison are being reintroduced into the wild after intensive conservation saved a gradually disappearing population where, at one stage, they were extinct in the wild and only 54 existed in captivity.
Ms Conroy said that in the 20 years of the park's existence "we have not so much grown in size as grown up", with the development of better facilities for the animals.
Plans for a new extension hope to be realised in time for Fota's 21st birthday next summer.