The Feb. 26th birth of 5 Meerkat kits, Lilo, Mushu, Grimsby, Basil and Fidget, brings the total Meerkat population at Tacoma, WA's Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium to 26. Each new kit is around as heavy as 2/3 of a cup of water! This is the zoo's second batch of kits this month. Zookeepers in the zoo’s Kids’ Zone area say at least one group of adults and kits will be on exhibit for at least half of the day during regular zoo hours.
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SeaWorld San Diego's Killer Whale mom Kasatka, estimated to be 37 years old, gave birth on Valentines Day to a healthy calf at Shamu Stadium under the watchful eyes of SeaWorld’s zoological team members. The birth marked the sixth successful killer whale to be born at SeaWorld San Diego. Kasatka and her new baby were swimming together in the show pool that very day. And DNA testing recently revealed that it's a boy! That makes SeaWorld’s Killer Whales to ten -- five males and five females.
Killer whale gestation is between 17 and 18 months long, and Kasatka’s took the full 18 months. Calves typically weigh between 300 and 350 pounds and measure between 6 and 7 feet at birth. The park’s zoological team members report that mother and baby continue to do well, with the calf nursing regularly from the start. Trainers and veterinarians continue a 24-hour watch on the whales to assure their health and well being.
In the mean time, he’s not only spending time with his brother and sister (Kalia and Nakai), but he's also swimming with Corky, Shouka and Orkid. And he’s already learned to swim upside down, proving himself to be a bit of a show-boat!!! The plan is to introduce him to the others - Ulises, Keet and Ike -- in the near future.
Photo Credit: All photos: SeaWorld San Diego, Photo 1, 2: Mike Aguilera
See more pictures of the baby Killer Whale swimming with Mom and the rest of the whale family after the fold.
Continue reading "New Baby Killer Whale Makes It Ten at SeaWorld San Diego" »
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After several weeks of consideration, keepers at the Oregon Zoo have settled on a name for the new baby River Otter. The pup will be called Molalla, or Mo for short, named after the Oregon river.
“A lot of North American zoo animals get their names from nations or cultures associated with their native habitats,” said Julie Christie, senior keeper for the zoo’s North America area. “For the River Otters, we like to choose names based on local waterways.”
Photo credits: Michael Durham / Oregon Zoo
Mo’s mother, Tilly — named after the Tillamook River — gave birth to the pup Jan. 28. The first River Otter to be born at the Oregon Zoo, Mo weighed just over 4 ounces at birth but has been enjoying mom’s naturally high-fat milk and growing fast. He now weighs more than 2 and 1/2 pounds.
Tilly and her baby have occupied a private, off-exhibit maternity den since the birth, but keepers say zoo visitors have shown a lot of interest in the new arrival even though they can’t see him yet.
See and learn more below the fold...
“A lot of people wrote in to offer congratulations and make suggestions for his name,” Christie said. “Several people liked the name Willy, short for Willamette. And one visitor suggested naming him Pudding, after a tributary of the Molalla. We thought that was pretty cute.”
River Otters are very dependent on their mothers when they’re born. It’s usually three to five weeks before young otters open their eyes, and about five weeks before they first walk. Surprisingly, swimming does not come naturally to otters — pups must be taught to swim by their mom.
Christie said Tilly is continuing to do all the right things as a new mom, and the animal-care staff has been as hands-off as possible; they have only quickly examined Mo when Tilly is taking a short break from mom duty.
“We give her access to the exhibit during the day,” Christie said. “But Tilly’s been very attentive and doesn’t spend too long away from Mo. We’re pretty sure the pup’s a male, but we can’t be positive until our vets conduct a more thorough exam. Either way, we think Molalla will be a good name. There are plenty of females named Mo too.”
Keepers are working to “baby proof” the Cascade Stream and Pond section of the zoo’s Great Northwest exhibit and make sure it’s safe for the young otter. If all goes well, zoo visitors will be able to see Tilly and Mo there in a few weeks. Until then, otter fans are encouraged to follow the zoo on Facebook and Twitter for updates.
Since both Tilly and the pup’s father, B.C., were born in the wild, they are considered genetically important for the breeding otter population in North American zoos. Both parents are rescue animals who had a rough start to life.
Tilly was found orphaned near Johnson Creek in 2009. She was about 4 months old, had been wounded by an animal attack and was seriously malnourished. Once her health had stabilized, Tilly came to the Oregon Zoo in a transfer facilitated by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, which oversees the species’ protection.
The pup’s father, B.C., was found orphaned near Star City, Ark., also in 2009. He was initially taken in by the Little Rock Zoo, but transferred here the following year as a companion for Tilly. The two otters hit it off quickly and have been playful visitor favorites ever since. (B.C. arrived at the Oregon Zoo with the name Buttercup; when he was little, keepers thought he was female.)
Now that the threat from fur trappers has declined, North American River Otters are once again relatively abundant in healthy river systems of the Pacific Northwest and the lakes and tributaries that feed them. Good populations exist in suitable habitat in northeast and southeast Oregon, but they are scarce in heavily settled areas, especially if waterways are compromised. Because of habitat destruction and water pollution, River Otters are considered rare outside the Pacific Northwest.
Metro, the regional government that manages the Oregon Zoo, has preserved and restored more than 90 miles of river and stream banks in the region through its voter-supported natural area programs. By protecting water quality and habitat, these programs are helping to provide the healthy ecosystems needed for otters, fish and other wildlife to thrive. River Otters are frequently observed in Metro region waterways.
Committed to conservation, the zoo is currently working to save endangered California Condors, Oregon Silverspot and Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterflies, Western Pond Turtles and Oregon Spotted Frogs. Other projects include studies on Asian Elephants, Polar Bears, Orangutans and Giant Pandas. Celebrating 125 years of community support, the zoo relies in part on donations through the Oregon Zoo Foundation to undertake these and many other animal welfare, education and sustainability programs.
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Photo credits: Perth Zoo
This Banded Knob-tailed Gecko hatched off-display on 4 March at Perth Zoo. Found in the Pilbara region of West Australia, this is the fifth Gecko of its kind to hatch at Perth Zoo since 2010. The Gecko weighed 2.18g when it hatched. The youngster’s older siblings can be seen in the zoo's Nocturnal House.
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In early March, SeaWorld San Diego rescued a young Pacific Harbor Seal, estimated to be only days old, from a local beach. The animal, which appeared to be separated from its mother, is now being bottle-fed and cared for behind the scenes by SeaWorld's rescue team. SeaWorld experts expect the seal to make a full recovery and be returned to the wild.
So far this year, SeaWorld San Diego has rescued more than 100 marine mammals.
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Baby Sumatran Orangutan Tripa shares a close relationship with
his mom – in fact, Emma has rarely let her baby out of sight since his birth on
October 19 at the United Kingdom’s Chester Zoo.
Like all Orangutan infants, Tripa completely depends on his mother for food, transportation, and lots of tender loving care. Orangutans have the longest childhood of all animals other than humans, with young Orangutans spending up to eight years with their mothers.
Photo Credits: Phil
Noble/Reuters, Peter Byrne/PA, Chester Zoo
Emma and Puluh, Tripa’s father, are part of the European
Endangered Species Programme, which coordinates breeding between zoos to
maintain genetic diversity in endangered species.
Conservationists estimate that there are fewer than 7,000 Sumatran Orangutans remaining on the Indonesian island of Sumatra – the only place in the entire world where this Orangutan subspecies exists. Tremendous pressure from illegal logging, illegal palm oil plantations, and poaching have driven wild Orangutan populations to the brink of extinction, making zoo breeding programs essential to their survival.
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Two South African Springhares hopped
onto the scene at Zoo Berlin this winter:
One was born on December 14, and the other arrived on January 12.
Because Springhares are nocturnal, they live their days in reverse at the zoo. Daytime exhibit lights are dimmed to moonlight levels so zoo guests can see the Springhares when they are most active. At night, when the rest of the zoo goes dark, the lights come up and the Springhares go to sleep.
In the wild, Springhares burrow into
tunnels during the day, plugging the entrance with loose soil, and forage on
leaves and tubers at night. When
threatened, Springhares retreat to their burrows for safety.
With powerful back legs for jumping, Springhares can leap more than 15 feet (5m). They are one of the largest of all rodents, and are hunted for food by indigenous peoples in Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Despite being extensively hunted, Springhares are listed as a species of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Photo Credit: Zoo Berlin
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Two Maned Wolf Pups born at the Czech Republic’s Zoo Liberec on January 10 had their
first visit to the veterinarian this week to receive vaccinations and determine
their gender. The pair, a male and a
female, was proclaimed in excellent health by the veterinary staff.
The pups, who were profiled on ZooBorns last month, weighed only about a pound (.5 kg) at birth, but they have rapidly gained weight. At the exam, each weighed more than six pounds (2.8 kg). The pups are the first Maned Wolves ever born at Zoo Liberec.
Photo Credits: Zoo Liberec
Native to South America, Maned Wolves are unique among
canids. They are distinguished by long
legs, a bushy mane which is erected when the Wolf is threatened, and a
skunk-like odor. Maned Wolves live
solitary lives roaming the grasslands of central South America. They eat small mammals as well as tubers,
fruits, and sugarcane.
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A delicate and rare Addax calf was born in early February at Australia’s Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Named Yasna, which translates to ‘white rose’ in an African language, this little female calf is the third born at the zoo in the last 12 months. Yasna is an important addition to the captive Addax population because fewer than 500 of these antelope remain in Africa’s Sahara Desert region.
Yasna has spent her first few weeks of life in hiding, which is exactly what this species would do in the wild. She is now becoming bolder and mingling with the zoo's herd.
Photo Credit: Taronga Zoo
Addax are distinguished by their 30-inch-long (80 cm) spiral horns, which are present on both males and females. To escape the extreme heat of the desert, Addax find bits of shade and dig into the sand where they rest until sundown. These nocturnal antelope feed on grasses and the leaves of certain shrubs.
Because Addax are slow-moving, they are easy targets for hunters who prize Addax meat and hides, which are made into leather goods. With the state of the wild Addax population so precarious, zoo breeding programs are vital to preserving the genetic diversity of this rare species.
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Recently we reported HERE on a little baby Gorilla who made a journey across the country from Texas to the Cincinnati Zoo to be hand reared after her birth mother wasn't able to provide her with proper care. We are happy to report that the little girl, who has since been named Gladys in honor of the zoo at which she was born, is doing well and has taken quite fondly to her surrogates. With a little help from some special attire that is.
Keepers at the Cincinnati Zoo had faux fur company, Fabulous Furs, manufacture an artificial gorilla vest for surrogates to wear when taking care of little Gladys. The local company graciously provided the vests free of charge. “Helping animals is at the heart of everything we do at Fabulous-Furs and we’re long-time supporters of the Cincinnati Zoo’s animal conservation efforts,” said Donna Salyers, President of Fabulous Furs. “Fabulous Furs is known for the world’s finest faux furs and believing one of our fabrics might help make baby Gladys’ life easier made helping an easy decision. Now, as we share Gladys’ story with our kids and grandkids, their enthusiasm makes it even more meaningful. We’re absolutely thrilled to contribute.”
Photo credits: David Jenike / Cincinnati Zoo
See and learn more after the fold!
Continue reading "Update! Cincinnati Zoo Gorilla Gets Fuzzy Surrogates" »
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