This past Thursday, the Sacramento Zoo welcomed a tiny little Sumatran tiger cub born to mother Bahagia. About two pounds at birth, the cub will rely entirely on mom for the first three months of life. This is the second litter for Bahagia (known as Baha) and zoo staff are hopeful the experienced mother will successfully raise this special little cub.
Photos credits: Sacramento Zoo
Sumatran tigers are critically endangered subspecies of tiger native to the islands of Indonesia and Borneo. These tigers split off from Bengal tiger populations between 12,000 and 6,000 years ago. The Sacramento Zoo participates in the Sumatran tiger Species Survival Plan (SSP), designed to maintain genetically viable populations of animals in captivity, and to organize zoo- and aquarium-based efforts to preserve the species in nature. More info available on the Zoo's blog.
What a year it's been for Pachyderms! Now only one week old, Germany's newest Elephant Calf, Bimas, made his debut appearance Friday at Berlin Zoo. Bimas is the 16th elephant to be born at the Berlin Zoo since 1998, as part of it's successful Asian Elephant breeding and conservation program. You've got to love the scientific name for these guys: "Elephas maximus!"
The Santa Barbara Zoo's four new 4-month-old capybaras are
now out on exhibit near the courtyard as of Tuesday, March 2, 2010. This
adorable litter, consisting of 3 males and 1 female, came to the Santa
Barbara Zoo from the Alameda Park Zoo in New Mexico. Capybaras are the
world's largest rodent from Central and South America, and can grow up
to 4 feet long and 100-150 pounds! Nicknamed "swamp hogs," capybaras are
dependent on water and well adapted to it - they even have webbed feet.
Capybaras swim and dive freely and can stay submerged underwater for up
to five minutes. They also wallow in water to protect skin from hot
sun. Like all rodents, capybaras must chew and gnaw to wear down
continually growing teeth. They tend to live in groups of about 20
adults.
On February 1st, the Edmonton Valley Zoo welcomed a tiny baby squirrel monkey. For the next six to ten weeks, the curious but cautious baby will hitch a ride on its mom's and aunts' backs. Until the baby becomes a bit more independent and starts venturing out on its own, zoo staff cannot be sure whether the little ball of monkey is a boy or girl.
Bearing soft brown and white stripes instead of the traditional Irish green, an endangered Grevy’s zebra foal was born on exhibit at approximately 1:45 p.m. Wednesday (St. Patrick’s Day) at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo. Zoo animal care staff observed the entire labor and delivery, along with a small crowd of curious guests who watched from nearby for more than an hour for the rare opportunity to see a newborn zebra. The species is named after Jules Grévy, a president of France, who, in the 1880s, was given one by the government of Abyssinia.
Just over a week ago, the Taronga Zoo in Australia welcomed the birth of an elephant calf they thought had died during labor. Now this "miracle calf" needs a name and you can help by entering the contest to name the baby pachyderm. In this series of shots, Taronga keeper and ace lenswoman Bobby-Jo Vial captures the essence of Mr. Shuffles.
Throughout February and March, the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park welcomed a small army of new yellow footed tortoise hatchlings. Also known as the Brazilian giant tortoise, these reptiles live in pockets throughout much of South America but are vulnerable to extinction. As adults, these tortoises make a raspy cooing sound. We here at ZooBorns would love to hear a tortoise talk!
Up close and personal
A salad fit for a giant tortoise!
Humans need more meals they can literally climb into!
Last year the Lubee Bat Conservancy in Gainesville, Florida welcomed twelve bat pups, including the rare birth of twins by mother Variable Flying Fox "Charisma." This organization is dedicated to conserving "fruit and nectar" bats because these animals are vital to pollination and seed dispersal in many of the world's jungles. The evolutionary origins of bats are a subject of much debate but they are most certainly NOT flying rodents. Once thought to be more closely related to shrews and hedgehogs, recent genetic evidence suggests bats may be more closely related to carnivores like bears, dogs and cats.
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A Large Flying Fox pup clings to a stuffed animal
Large Flying Fox pup and mom. Above photo credits: D. LeBlanc / Lubee Bat Conservancy
Rare Variable Flying Fox pup twins with mom. Photo credit: S. Mulder, Lubee Bat Conservancy
Born on February 27th at the UK's Colchester Zoo, this two week old baby aardvark doesn't quite fit into its pink skin. The little boy or girl currently resides with mom in the the secluded "rearing burrow," which was specially constructed to provide mother and cub with privacy during the first few weeks. For a mammal of its size, the aardvark has a tiny brain and adult aardvarks are notoriously clumsy so it's important to keep the delicate baby aardvark away from the other lumbering adults for now. Baryshnikov aardvarks aren't.
The National Aquarium in Baltimore has just released pictures and video of their two day old dolphin calf. The calf appears to be healthy, swimming alongside mother Jade and 31 year old Shiloh who is an experienced dolphin mom. Watch video of the birth below and follow all the progress on this bright-eyed and slippery-tailed calf on the National Aquariums blog in the days to come.
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