ZooBorns

All Hail the King (Penguin)!

On February 17th, the Newport Aquarium welcomed a King Penguin chick. The little hatchling is covered in a light fuzz and looks a little like a baby dinosaur to us. As the second largest species of penguin, King Penguins grow for 16-18 months before they ever enter the water, which is much longer than most other penguins.

What's a Tahr?

January saw multiple births of Himalayan Tahr at Singapore Zoo's Night Safari. Four year old Aman, who has been at the park for more than two years, became a proud father four times over. Himalayan Tahr are one of three species (in addition to the Nilgiri Tahr and the Arabian Tahr) of large Asian ungulates related to the wild goat.

 

 

Photos courtesy Wildlife Reserves Singapore

More pics after the jump...

Jaguar Cub: Jordan Zoo's Newest Joy

Pics taken last week at the Jordan Zoo show jaguar mom Lolo enjoying a good wrestle (and occasional nibble) from her newborn cub. Unlike her spotted cub, Lolo is melanistic, which means she possesses and exhibits more dark pigmentation than a typical jaguar.

(Ali Jarekji/REUTERS)

The battle rages on beneath the fold...

Baby Tapir says "Take me to your leader!"

The Henry Doorly Zoo's newest resident might look like ALF, but he's not an alien. This little Malayan Tapir calf was born December 6th and is just now on display with his mother, Knobbie, in the Asian Rainforest exhibit.

In their native jungles of Southeast Asia, tapirs use their long snouts to reach tasty leaves that would otherwise be just out of reach. The birth of this little guy is particular exciting because the species is endangered in the wild and the breeding program population in North America is small.

Endangered Tree Kangaroo Emerges from Her Pouch

Meet the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's newest and cutest little Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo joey. Unlike their Australian ground dwelling cousins, Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroos live in New Guinea and spend most of their lives high in the trees. They have an amazing ability to jump from trees, having been observed leaping down to the ground from 30 feet or more on a whim. Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroos are endangered due to poaching and habitat destruction.

Photo and video credits: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

'Pipsqueak the Panda' Born at Wellington Zoo

While the name Pipsqueak is still unofficial for this two month old Red Panda cub, it seems fitting to us. Born on Christmas Eve at New Zealand's Wellington Zoo, keepers have kept their distance while they give mom and cub time to bond.

 
 

Panda Showdown at San Diego

Earlier this month, ZooBorns contributor ysaleth caught baby panda Yun Zi and mother Bai Yun bear wrestling at the San Diego Zoo in this series of adorable photos.

Orphan Otter Finds a Home at Monterey

In a story both heartbreaking and heartwarming, a baby Sea Otter was rescued by the Monterey Bay Aquarium after losing her mother. The young otter was found crying and desperately trying to climb on adult females in Morro Bay, seeking her missing mother. Already occupied with their own pups, the adult otters repeatedly pushed the little girl away. With things looking increasingly desperate, staff decided to rescue the pup and bring her back to the Aquarium. Learn more here but as you can see in the pictures and video below, Kit is in a wonderful new home with a loving companion, 9 year old Sea Otter "Mae."

You can also see more via Monterey Bay Aquarium's live webcam. 

More Maned Wolf Cubs at Denver Zoo!

Three rare maned wolf pups have begun exploring outside of their hut over the last few days at the Denver Zoo.  Cayenne, a female, and Santiago and Diego, both males, were born on Christmas Eve to mother, Itati, and father, Tega. The pups have remained close to mom but are becoming more curious daily. All three pups were just given a clean bill of health by  doctors. Denver Zoo visitors can see the pups as they explore at the zoo’s Feline Building just east of the main entrance.

 

 

Photo Credit Dave Parsons / Denver Zoo

See their medical exam below the fold...

New Clouded Leopard Cubs at the National Zoo!

Just this past Sunday, the Smithsonian's National Zoo welcomed two adorable Clouded Leopard Cubs. At just half a pound, these tiny cubs weigh little more than house cat kittens. But these cubs have more to offer than just a ridiculously cute little face. Because they are only two generations removed from wild populations, their genetic stock is especially valuable to conservation focused breeding efforts.

 

 

Photo Credits: Mehgan Murphy / Smithsonian’s National Zoo