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Newborn Giraffe Calf Finds Her Feet

At approximately 11:30 Thursday morning, the Memphis Zoo welcomed a female baby reticulated giraffe. This is the Zoo’s fourth baby giraffe in four years, following the births of “Angela Kate” in 2006 and “Kofi” and “Sesi” in 2008.  This is the second baby for mom “Marilyn” and the fourth sired by dad “Kenya.”  This addition brings the Zoo’s giraffe herd to a total of seven. Zookeepers have named her "Akili" meaning smart in Swahili. She is 6'3" and about 150 lbs. She is strong and healthy.

Top Photo by Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal Bottom Two Photos Courtesy of The Memphis Zoo

Germany's Road-Tripping Gorilla Infant Rides Shotgun!

In breaking baby gorilla news, 6-month-old Claudia has moved from Germany's Allwetter Zoo to the Wilhelma Zoo. The change comes as the baby's mother Gana passed away in January, leaving behind no suitable surrogate. Representatives from the Allwetter Zoo assured us that, despite their sadness over losing Claudia, they couldn't hope for a better home than the Wilhelma Zoo nursery.

Claudia clearly called "shotgun" for her first ever roadtrip cross-country!

Claudia in her element at the Allwetter Zoo, shortly before departing for Wilhelma.

Frolicking Brown Bears at the Bronx Zoo

Meet the newest residents of the Bronx Zoo - a furry foursome - one young grizzly and three brown bear cubs - rescued seperately in Montana and Alaska. Having just arrived in their new home they are clearly enjoying themselves, running, splashing, and playing even in the cold. Watch the big cubs frolic in this heartwarming video.

Photo credits: Julie Larsen 

For information on these lovable, playful bears, visit the Bronx Zoo's special page for the foursome. 

Checking in with Melbourne's Wild-Eyed Elephant Calf

Melbourne Zoo's first Asian Elephant calf remains in the elephant barn with her mother Dokkoon. The birth was difficult and exhausting for Dokkoon who has spent the first week since her calf was born recovering. The calf is alert, active and playful, however, this is still a critical period for the newborn calf. Both mum and baby are still being monitored round the clock by Zoo staff.

 

 

Shy Maned Wolf Pups at Paignton Zoo

The UK's Paignton Zoo recently welcomed three little Maned Wolf pups to mother wolf Maya and father Smolis. Shy and elusive, Maned Wolves are hard to see in the wild and are often bashful in captivity as well. South America's largest wolf, this species lives in monogamous pairs rather than in packs like other wolf species.

Photo credits: Ray Wiltshire

NYC's Got a New Kid On The Block

A mini Nubian Goat kid was born to Mom "Angel" earlier this month at the Central Park Zoo. The 10-pound bundle-of-joy can be seen scampering after its mother in the park's petting zoo area. Mini Nubian Goats are a cross between Nigerian dwarf goats and Nubian goats.

Photos: AP

Albino "Carpincho" at M'Bopicua

On Christmas Day, Uruguay's M'Bopicua Breeding Station welcomed two little capybaras, or "carpinchos" as they are known in Spanish. One of the little girls turned out to be an albino and was named "Snow White."  Although she looks suspiciously like a big guinea pig as an infant, as an adult she could grow to be over four feet long and over 230 lbs. (note: an average capybara only weighs around 100 lbs. in adulthood but maybe Snow White will be extra well fed...).

  

A Tiny Baby Dik-Dik

Rejected by its mother, this tiny Kirk's Dik-Dik is being hand raised by keepers at England's Chester Zoo. Standing just 10 inches tall, the baby is bottle fed five times a day and appears to be doing well. These small antelope are native to Eastern and Southwestern Africa. 

 

Photo credits: Press Assocation

Baby Gibbon Clings to Stuffed Ape

A hand-reared baby White-handed Gibbon at the UK's Twycross Zoo, snuggles up to a stuffed animal before bed. In the wild, these endangered gibbons suffer from widespread deforestation as well as poaching and capture for the pet trade.