ZooBorns

UPDATE! Allwetter Zoo's Asian Golden Cat Twins Ready for Their Close-up

My how they've grown! Twin Asian Golden cubs were born at Allwetter Zoo on April 7 and last Tuesday, they played and posed for the camera. Their natural beauty is evident against the pure white background.

Asiatic Golden Cats are highly threatened with extinction in the wild, so breeding them in zoos is one very important way to conserve the species. However, procreation and the successful rearing of their offspring can be tricky, so these two came into the world through artificial insemination. Click HERE for our May 3 article on this important birth, and to see their pictures as newborns.

Photo Credit: Life on White.com

Many more photos after the fold!

New Cheetah Mom Namoja Has Her Paws Full With Quintuplets!

Namoja, Munster Zoo's female Cheetah, has her paws full with five cubs. Now nearly two months old, Namoja's quintet has been exploring Munster's outdoor exhibit since day nine. Father Jabari met Namoja in early January and the five cubs arrived just 92 days later! While First-time mom Namoja has shown excellent cub-rearing skills and a steady paw, she'll have to remain vigilant. The cubs are already adept crawlers and it won't be long before they're scampering around the entire 7,500 sq. ft. exhibit!

Photo credits: Allwetterzoo Munster

Rare and Elusive Wild Cat Gives Birth With The Help of Science

A successful artificial insemination of an Asian Golden Cat was performed at Allwetter Zoo, which the zoo is calling the world's first for this species. On April 7, after a gestation period of approximately 75-80 days, twin cubs were born. One is being nursed by the mother, and the other is being cared for by keepers to ensure both of these rare and important babies will grow strong and develop well.

The cubs are nursing well and putting on weight. They will not be interested in meat until at least a month old. You can watch a video HERE. The narration is in German but you can hear the cub roar in the first few seconds and see it nursing and getting scritches.

 

Photo Credit: Allwetter Zoo

Asiatic Golden Cats are highly threatened with extinction in the wild, so breeding them in zoos is one very important way to conserve the species. However, procreation and the successful rearing of their offspring is fraught with difficulties, since not every pairing of males and females works well. And since few zoos keep Asian Cats, changing the pairings can be quite a challenge. These beautiful and rare cats only live in three zoos in Germany (Heidelberg, Münster, Wuppertal, Germany), and in four other zoos in Europe. So while there has been little success with artificial insemination of wild cats worldwide, the zoo still chose this approach.

See more photos after the fold:

Critically Endangered Tiger Cub Born at Point Defiance

This past Wednesday the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington welcomed a critically endangered Sumatran Tiger cub. Zoological staff are closely watching over mom Jaya and the 2.5-pound female cub. Both appear to be healthy and are resting behind the scenes.

It’s the third litter for 9-year-old Jaya. The father is Malosi, who came to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium from Honolulu Zoo last year as part of an approved breeding program through the Species Survival Plan for Sumatran Tigers.



“We are elated with this birth,” Goodrowe Beck said. “Sumatran Tigers are highly endangered. There are only 74 in North American zoos and approximately 200 in zoos around the world. Only about 250 to 300 remain in their native habitat on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.” Goodrowe Beck chairs the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan for Sumatran Tigers.



Zoo deputy director John Houck celebrated the zoo’s leadership in the breeding program. “Today there is one more precious Sumatran Tiger in the world,” Houck said. “This is a confirmation of worldwide efforts to conserve this magnificent species.”

Jaya’s two sons, 3-year-old Bima and 8-month-old Dumai, are among the five Sumatran Tigers now at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. The zoo also is home to Berani, an 8-month-old Malayan Tiger.

Tiger Mom, Jaya

Photo credits: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Related articles

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UPDATE! Tiger Cub Explores the Great Outdoors

Take a Peek Inside a Sumatran Tiger's Den!

UPDATE: Sacramento Zoo's Sumatran Tiger Cub Growing Strong

Nothing Says "It's Springtime" Like The Birth of Clouded Leopard Cubs

Nashville Zoo is pleased to announce the births of two litters of Clouded Leopard cubs. On March 26, Jing Jai gave birth to one female cub and Baylie gave birth to one male and one female. All three are doing well and are being hand-raised by the Zoo’s animal care staff.

“Nashville Zoo is a leader in Clouded Leopard conservation, with 18 Clouded Leopards born at our off-exhibit breeding facility since 2009,” said Karen Rice, carnivore supervisor at Nashville Zoo. “These cubs will remain a part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Clouded Leopard population as breeding cats, education or exhibit animals. Whatever role they play, they will contribute to the ongoing conservation effort.” 

Photo credits: Amiee Stubbs

 

Clouded Leopards are considered endangered because of deforestation, poaching and the pet trade. Nashville Zoo is a member of the Thailand Clouded Leopard Consortium, an ongoing collaboration with the National Zoo, Point Defiance Zoo, Clouded Leopard Species Survival Program and Zoological Park Organization of Thailand (ZPO) to develop a multi-faceted clouded leopard conservation program that includes a viable self-sustaining captive population. 

See more pictures and learn more below the fold...

Beloved “Babysitter” Mourned at Linton Zoo

Arnie, a stray cat who became known for his extraordinary talent as a “babysitter” of abandoned newborn animals brought to the Linton Zoo, passed away peacefully last week.  Arnie’s favorite creatures were lion cubs, and he babysat all four of the zoo’s adult lions as well as some of their cubs. 

Photo Credits:  Linton Zoo

Arnie wandered onto the zoo property in 2000 and quickly worked his way into the hearts of the zoo staff.  Named after Arnold Schwarzenegger, Arnie gained fame after photos of him with a lion cub made international headlines.  Even after his moments in the spotlight, Arnie didn’t let fame go to his head.  He continued in his role as a friend to all, greeting zoo guests (especially those who were carrying tasty treats), controlling pests, and cheering up anyone who was feeling down.

Linton Zoo staff described Arnie as a “real live Garfield” whose outstanding personality will be missed by not only the people who loved him, but by his many animal friends around the zoo - especially the animals that he babysat over the years.  Rest in peace, Arnie. 

Tiny Snow Leopard Cubs For Chattanooga Zoo!

Chattanooga Zoo's female Snow Leopard Kasimir gave birth to two cubs on October 2 and zookeepers have shared a few sneak peak pics. The tiny Snow Leopards, a boy and a girl, will go on exhibit Saturday, November 19. Stay tuned for more news and pictures in the coming weeks!

Photo credits: Chattanooga Zoo

Zoo Boise Serves Up Two Serval Kittens!

Late last month, Zoo Boise welcomed two tiny new born Serval Cats.  Servals are small African spotted cats. The kittens (one male, one female) are being hand-reared by zoo staff, because their mother was not caring for them properly. Visitors are able to see them in their incubator at the zoo's Simplot Education center.

Photo credit: SACSImpact

Minnesota Zoo's Tiger Cubs Are On Exhibit and There's Still Time to Help Name Them!

The Minnesota Zoo is holding a naming contest for its two female Amur Tiger cubs born this past summer. This contest is being conducted on Facebook and started October 3. Click here to submit your name suggestions through this Sunday, October 14.

Everyone who participates in the naming contest will be eligible for daily prize drawings, including a Family 4-Pack of tickets to the Minnesota Zoo and other great prizes.

Photo credit: (1-4) MN Zoo, (5) Ashley Ondricek / MN Zoo

 

Name suggestions will be accepted through Sunday, October 14, 2012. Zoo staff will then review all submissions and select the top three names for each cub to be posted on the Minnesota Zoo’s Facebook fan page to be voted on by the public, starting Thursday, October 18. The winning names will be announced on Monday, October 29.

Dumai The Baby Tiger Is About To Make A New Friend

Dumai, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium's Sumatran Tiger cub, is getting a new buddy. Meet Berani, a 5-week-old Malayan male cub scheduled to arrive at Point Defiance this week from Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum. Each was the only cub in a litter and pulled from mom within days of birth because the tiny Tigers were not thriving. Once Berani arrives and is checked out, you will be able to see him in the cub den playing and pouncing with Dumai.

Sumatran Tigers, listed as critically endangered, are the smallest subspecies of Tiger and their fur is a darker orange than that of Malayans. Sumatran Tigers also are the only remaining Tiger subspecies that lives on an island. As few as 300 live in the wild on the Indonesian island.

Photo Credit: Tulsa Zoo and Living Aquarium

Malayan Tigers, a bit bigger, lighter in color and lankier in body conformation, are native to the tropical forests of peninsular Malaysia. The Tiger Conservation Campaign estimates that fewer than 500 remain in the wild.

Each of the tigers will reach 275-300 pounds when fully grown. They’ll eventually be placed into zoo-based breeding populations of their respective subspecies to maintain genetic diversity and increase their numbers.

Bringing the Malayan cub to Tacoma is a wonderful example of the cooperative Species Survival Plan work in action. To learn more about the tigers, the Tiger Conservation Campaign and what you can do to help them, visit www.pdza.org.