ZooBorns

Perth Zoo Hatches Black-winged Stilt Chicks

Four Black-winged Stilt chicks hatched at Perth Zoo in Australia at the end of November. These chicks are the first in a new generation of stilts and are part of a regional breeding program for this native Australian species.

Chicks are gray and with a sandy hue on their wings. When fully grown the will sport stark white feathers on the head, neck and belly while the feathers on their back and wings will be black with a greenish sheen on males and a little more brown looking on females. Adults are 13-14 inches (33–36 cm) long, with their distinctive pink legs making up about 60 % of their height which gives them an advantage in deeper waters over other wader birds (hence the name).

Black-winged Stilts can be found on the shores of large, inland water bodies and coastal habitats. They breed in freshwater or brackish (slightly salty) wetlands with a sand, mud or clay bed. While they are not currently considered endangered, they can be threatened by climate change and continued destruction of wetlands by man.

Photo Credits: Perth Zoo

Third Endangered Penguin Hatched This Year!

On December 6, Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo keepers welcomed the third successful hatching this year of an endangered African Penguin chick. After 10 days, the downy grey chick was alert, warm and vocalizing, three positive signs of health and strength. It is nesting inside the Penguin building under the watchful care of first-time parents, Tinkerbell and Loki. To date, the parents are very attentive and sharing in the brooding responsibilities of the hatchling, whose gender has not yet been determined. The tiny chick weighed just 54 grams when hatched, and has grown to 272 grams as of December 15.

The newest Penguin chick will remain with the parents for a few weeks, then be transitioned to zookeeper care to facilitate independence and learning to swim, before ultimately joining the colony on exhibit in several months. Once on exhibit, it will be easy to spot with its dark gray juvenile plumage for about a year. This will be replaced by the characteristic black and white feathers following its first molt.

Photo credits: Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo

African Penguins, endemic to mainly offshore islands on South Africa’s coast, were reclassified in 2010 from 'vulnerable' to 'endangered' on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List (IUCN). The Zoo’s penguins are members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) African Penguin Species Survival Plan (SSP) program. 

What's a Caecilian? Virginia Zoo's Newest Baby

"This is the first Caecilian born at the Virginia Zoo," said Craig Pelke, Birds and Cctotherms Curator at the Virginia Zoo. Resembling large earthworms or small snakes, Caecilians completely lack limbs and swim like an eel. Their skin is smooth and a dark-matte blue-grayish-brown in color. Their eyes are small and covered by skin for protection; Caecilians have poor eyesight, which is limited to light and dark perception, but have a great sense of smell.

Just over 6 inches long (15.2 cm), the baby Caecilian has been moved off exhibit to a separate holding tank away from the adults. It's still too early to tell if it is male or female. "We first brought them here in 2008 to help celebrate the Year of the Frog and we recently acquired 4 juveniles from the Turtleback Zoo in West Orange, New Jersey."

"When it gets closer to adult size, we'll move it back on exhibit, but that could be months," said Martha Hamilton, a zookeeper who cares for the Caecilians.

This species fo Caecilian, the Rio Cauca (Typhlonectes natans), is also referred to as "blue worms." They are aquatic amphibians that give live birth in the water. They range from western and northern Colombia to the Lake Maracaibo Basin in Venezuela, where they live in drainage systems, rivers, marshes and lakes, thriving in polluted water.

Photo Credit: Winfield Danielson/Virginia Zoo

"Long" Awaited Giraffe Arrival in Singapore!

Wildlife Reserves Singapore in Mandai, Singapore welcomed a lanky surprise this festive season – a 1.88m tall baby Giraffe born on December 5, 2011! The male calf got on his feet just moments after a six-foot drop from his mother, Dobeni, who gave birth standing up. The birth is the first in three years. The 75-kg baby, which is still unnamed, is the third South African Giraffe born at the Reserves' Night Safari. His father, Pongola, and mother Dobeni are also proud parents of female Giraffe Kayin, born at the park in 2008.

Photo credits: Wildlife Reserves Singapore

“We hope that the birth of this South African Giraffe sub-species at Night Safari will continue to increase the gene pool of the species for global zoological institutions through animal exchanges and breeding programs,” said Mr. Subash Chandran, Assistant Director, Zoology, for Night Safari.

Bush Baby Hat Trick for Prague Zoo!

Three Senegal Bush Babies (also known as Galagos) were born at the Prague Zoo in the Czech Republic on October 5th. On wednesday, zoo veterinarians gave the three their first medical check up. The babies are from two different litters, despite having been born all on the same day. This trio of tree dwellers includes two males and a female. Bush Babies use sensitive hearing and ears which can bend one at a time to hear their prey which includes birds and insects. Fruit, seeds, flowers, eggs, nuts, and tree gums make up the rest of their omnivorous diet.

Photo credits: Zoo Prague

A Snowy White Kiwi Hatches Just in Time for the Holidays

A second, rare, white Kiwi hatched on the morning of December 18 at Pukaha Mount Bruce National Willdlife Center. Like it's sibling, Manukura, this little one has received a special and meaningful name -- Mauriora, meaning ‘sustained life’. It hatched in the Wildlife Center's nursery, where Manukura – the world's first white kiwi hatched in captivity – came along in May. 

Called a powerful name by Rangitane chief executive and Pukaha board member Jason Kerehi, he added, "This new kiwi is seen as an assurance that we are blessed with more than one special creature and there is potential for more."

Conservation Department captive breeding ranger Darren Page said it was pretty unusual that two kiwis with the rare gene to produce white chicks had managed to find eachother and mate within the 940-hectare Pukaha forest - not even once, but twice over two seasons! "Both white birds have the same father, who we have identified through his transmitter," he added. "We can't identify the mother but assume she is the same because of the rarity of the white gene."

Eleven kiwi have hatched at the center so far this season and of the two kiwi eggs incubating in the nursery, one is from the same nest as Mauriora. Keepers are waiting to see what that brings.

Photo Credit: Mike Haydon and Pukaha Mount Bruce National Willdlife Center

Find more pictures and information after the jump.

When Mom Can't Feed Her Cub, Zoo Keepers Step In

The Scandinavian Wildlife Park of Djursland has been raising Siku, a one month old Polar Bear cub, by hand since his mother was unable to provide enough milk for him. Since birth, the cub has more than doubled in weight, and Zoo officials say little Siku is doing fine. Park Manager Frank Vigh-Larsen says the tiny cub was just two days old by the time it became clear he would not survive without intervention. Three keepers give Siku around the clock care to ensure he continues to grow and develop healthily.

Photo and video credit: Scandinavian Wildlife Park of Djursland

 

 

Meet Riley the Seal Pup!

 On December 11, Moody Gardens welcomed a newborn harbor seal! Mom Presley and her pup have spent their short time together bonding through activities like nursing and exploring their exhibit.

“Nursing and sleeping are healthy behaviors for a pup. Right now Riley is curious about the environment and is quickly adapting to its surroundings,” said Animal Husbandry Manager Greg Whittaker. “Since there are just more than 100 harbor seals in captivity: this birth and Riley’s health is important to the entire species.”

Riley is not only an exciting birth for Moody Gardens, but also for parents Porter and Presley who first met in 2006. Porter, who was rescued near death off the coast of Maine after being abandoned by his mother, made his home at Moody Gardens in 2001. He had been bottle fed and nursed back to heath by workers at Marine Animal Lifeline, but after an infection destroyed his eye biologists decided Porter would not be able to survive in the wild. Five years later, Presley joined the Moody Gardens family after her caretakers at Memphis Zoo determined the young harbor seal needed a companion.

Although Presley and Porter have conceived in the past, this is the couple’s first successful birth and Porter have conceived in the past, this is the couple’s first successful birth.

Photo credits: Moody Gardens

 

Read more after the jump!

Little Rock Zoo Announces Little Monkey Twins

These twin Geoffroy's Marmosets were born November 21, 2011 on a very stormy night at the Little Rock Zoo. They were born to parents Becky and Santana.  In these photos they are riding on Santana (dad). Their sex remains unknown. Becky was very protective of them and was slow to let Santana carry them, but finally did.  They have an older brother, Carlos who was born in early 2010. He would like to help carry the babies, but so far has not been allowed.  They share and exhibit with a White Faced Saki family and 7 Green Iguanas.

Photo credit: Karen Caster, Primate Keeper at the Little Rock Zoo

UPDATE: Tarongas' Three Tiger Cubs Have a Penchant for Mischief

You may have first met these Sumantran tiger cubs from Taronga Zoo in Sydney on Zooborns' October blog post. Then the cubs, born in late August, were just beginning to go out in the habitat for an hour or two. Now they are thriving and growing - as evidenced in these photos taken by Zoo visitor Chris Kaas.  

Zoo Carnivore Supervisor, Louise Ginman said: “The three cubs are developing very quickly and watching mum’s every move. It’s great to see their individual personalities grow and the natural instincts displayed as they spend longer on exhibit."

"Kembali, the first-born male is very much like his father and can be unpredictable at times, which definitely keeps us on our toes," Louise continues, "whereas Sakti, the third-born is very calm and takes things in his stride. Kartika, the second and only female cub born, is definitely the most playful and adventurous, making sure she is the first to test out everything.” 

There are now more tigers in world zoos than in the wild (as few as 400), so zoo breeding programs are vital. These three cubs are a valuable boost to this critically endangered species.

Photo Credit: Chris Kara

More pictures and conservation information after the jump.