ZooBorns

Spritely Grevy's Zebra Foal Second Born at Phoenix Zoo

Born on January 19 to parents Masika and Punda, this newest addition to the Phoenix Zoo’s herd of Grevy’s Zebras weighed in at an even 100 pounds (45.35 kg). This is the nineteenth Grevy’s Zebra born at the zoo since 1987. He enjoys exploring his exhibit and is playing with the zoo's other male foal, Utambo, born just a couple of months earlier in November to mother Afiya. Both foals share the same father.

These babies are important, as they add to the sparse population of this Endangered species. There are less than 2,500 left in the wild due to loss of habitat, competition with livestock and poaching. As the largest zebra species, Grevy’s can be distinguished from other zebras by their longer legs, more narrow stripes, a plain white underbelly and large rounded ears. They are only found in northern Kenya and southeastern Ethiopia.

Photo Credit: Phoenix Zoo

See more pictures and read how his mother will choose his name after the fold:

Phoenix Zoo Needs Help Naming Its Baby Zebra!

Two months ago a male Grevy's zebra was born at Phoenix Zoo. Now they are asking the public to weigh in on his name! Voting ends this Friday, December 14, at 8 p.m. PT. The choices are as follows, but be sure to visit this link to cast your vote:

Utambo – Meaning “prancing” in Swahili, as the baby zebra likes to run and prance when he and his mom, Afiya, head out onto exhibit in the mornings.
Nissa – Nissa is the name of one of the many fantastic Masai safari guides at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya, Africa, whom a Phoenix Zoo hoofstock keeper got to meet and work with while visiting Lewa earlier this year. Kenya is also where the majority of wild Grevy's zebra are currently found.
Pembe – Meaning “horn” (as in an animal horn) in Swahili. Obviously, zebras do not have horns, but the Grevy’s zebras’ history range encompasses the majority of a territory known as the Horn of Africa.
Ally – Pronounced “ollie”. Ally is the name of an exchange student from Kenya who is currently staying with the family of a Phoenix Zoo hoofstock keeper.

Photo credit: Phoenix Zoo

 

Related articles

Tiger Buddies Bond at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Baby Capybaras Born in The RainForest at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Watch Out for That Tongue! Baby Anteater Debuts at St. Louis Zoo

Blackpool Zoo's Little Mountain Zebra Born in a Stable Significant for Species

Blackpool Zoo's Little Mountain Zebra Born in a Stable Significant for Species

There is a truly festive feel in the air at Blackpool Zoo after the birth of a very special boy in one of its stables. The male Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra foal, yet to be named, is only the fourth of his kind to be born in the UK for the past decade and he is a hugely significant addition to the European Endangered Species Program.

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011 lists Hartmann’s Mountain Zebras as Vulnerable with a total population of less than 9000 mature individuals. Current studies indicate that this number could decline by more than 10% in the next 25 years due to an increase in hunting and loss of natural habitat to agriculture.

When senior mammal keeper Sofie Fawzy arrived for work on Monday, November 26, she was delighted to find the beautiful little striped boy up on his feet, feeding from his mother. Although keepers suspected that mom Betty was pregnant, a due date was not yet confirmed. It was hoped that, as an older mum, 19-year-old Betty would give birth safely to her very first foal. And indeed she did.

Photo Credit: Blackpool Zoo

Blackpool Zoo broke a nine year absence of Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra births in 2011 when its other resident female, Helene, gave birth to Tebogo, who recently moved to an all-male group in Germany. The father of both foals is Fernando. 

Sofie, who oversaw the birth and rearing of Tebogo, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have another foal, and mother and baby are doing very well. It will be fantastic to see another lively young one running around. As it is coming up to Christmas, we feel very honored to have our own special little boy who was born in a stable!”

Story continues after the jump:

Little Grevy's Zebra Greeted Visitors Wednesday at Reid Park Zoo

Reid Park Zoo announced the birth of an endangered Grevy’s Zebra on August 31. Female Zebra “Amira” gave birth on exhibit in the afternoon, and it's a boy! Keepers maintained a close watch on the baby to make sure he was healthy and nursing successfully because the baby had a low birth weight; he is indeed gaining and soon became ready to explore the larger habitat. He went out on exhibit just Wednesday for the first time and will now be there most mornings. Amira, who is a first-time mom, and her offspring will continue to be monitored for the next several critical months as the baby gains strength. 

Now he needs a name! Until now he's been called "baby Z". You can post your suggestion on Reid Park's Facebook page or e-mail them at reidzoo@tucsonaz.gov.The zoo would like his name to reflect his heritage. The Grevy's Zebra is an endangered species, and in the wild is found in Kenya. 

Photo Credit: Reid Park Zoo

Grevy Zebra Foal for Planckendael

There is a new baby Grevy’s Zebra, at KMDA Planckendael, born last Monday evening. Mom Betina gave birth to a strong and healthy female foal weighing just over 66 pounds (30 kg). She looks just like a mini-version of her mother and has been named Noni, an African name meaning gift of God.

Grevy's Zebra are endangered; Planckendael takes an active part in the European breeding program for this zebra species and has done so successfully. There are now 5 in Planckendael Grevy's on African Savannah living with their giraffe herd: Mom Betina, mares Fanny and Asra, breeding stallion Chris and now Noni, the new foal.

This is the first foal of young stud Chris. He arrived at Planckendael last year as a new breeding stallion and immediately took to his task! After about 13 months gestation, he was father. Noni is the fourth foal for Betina.

Photo Credit: Planckendael

Newborn Grevy's Zebra Gives Mom the Run-around

She may be only three-weeks old but a rare baby zebra born at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo is already making her mom earn her racing stripes. The as-yet-unnamed Grevy’s Zebra, born on July 17, can be spotted giving mother Henna the run around and gambolling in the paddock they share with the rest of the herd, including dad Abeba.

Africa section team leader Mark Holden said: “Henna is doing a great job of looking after her new arrival. It’s her first-born so she’s very protective but both of them are doing really well. The foal can often be seen up and running with the rest of the herd or having a rest with mom.” The leggy youngster was born with brown stripes that will turn black as she matures – her striped pattern is as unique as a fingerprint; no two zebra patterns are the same.

She is the 27^th foal to be born at the Zoo as part of a European Endangered Species Program and is an important addition to the species which is classified as 'Endangered' on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species -- with only an estimated 2,500 animals remaining in the wild. In the past, particularly in the 1970s and 80s, the Grevy's Zebra suffered declining numbers due to commercial hunting for their skins and have continued to be affected by habitat loss.

Photo Credit: ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

Black and White Striped Baby Zebra Bounds Around at Baton Rouge Zoo

On July 17, a Plains Zebra foal was the 23rd of its species born at BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo. It has been seen kicking up its heels, enjoying the grass and sunshine, when not sticking close to mom. While keepers have been unable to get near enough to tell it's gender, they believe it is a boy. Until they know, they will wait to name the energetic little one. 

While this baby weighs about 70 pounds (32 kg) now, it will grow to weigh between 450 - 600 pounds (204-272 kg) and stand 4 - 4.75 feet (1.2-1.5 meters) at the shoulder. The stripes of Zebras differ between species. Plains Zebra typically form a Y shape in their midsection, (also called their saddle). 

In the wild Plains Zebras live in southern and eastern African countries, such as Namibia, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique, inhabiting savannas, open woodland and forest areas. Their diets consist of a variety of long and short grasses, leaves and other vegetation. Plains Zebras face several threats including poaching and habitat loss due to human encroachment. Watering holes and rivers are especially dangerous due to the threat of hungry lions, hyenas, crocodiles and other predators.

Photo Credit: BREC' s Baton Rouge Zoo

Chapman's Zebra Foal the Fourty-Fifth for Cotswold Park

A Chapman’s zebra foal, only a few weeks old, stays near its mother while taking in the surroundings of its new home at Cotswold Wildlife Park in Oxfordshire.The as yet unnamed foal was born on 5th June to twelve year old first-time mother Sarah. As one of the oldest and lowest ranking females in the group, Sarah hadn’t previously shown any signs of interest in mating with Dampy, the foal’s father, so it was to some surprise when she became pregnant. Usually dominant females within the group give birth, so the foal is an unexpected delightful addition to the herd. This new arrival marks the Park’s forty- fifth zebra birth.

Jamie Craig, Curator of Cotswold Park said, “We are always delighted with any birth at the Park but to arrive at work to the sight of a new born foal ambling around the zebra and rhino paddock was especially satisfying – watching the youngster settling in with the herd and familiarizing itself with the rhino under the watchful eye of its mother was a real treat for the visitors on the day. We look forward to watching it develop, hopefully with slightly more “African” weather!”

The new foal shares its large paddock not only with its family of Chapman’s zebras (Equus burchellii chapmanni) but with three white rhinos. Both fascinating species have been at the Park for over thirty years. 

First Female Foal: A Baby Grevy's Zebra for Cincinnati Zoo

And her name is Savanna! On May 23, the first female Grevy's Zebra baby was born at Ohio's Cincinnati Zoo. Within the first 17 minutes of birth, she was standing and slowly began walking. She successfully nursed within the first hour and has spent the last few weeks bonding with her mom and getting to know the keepers behind the scenes. 

The name Savanna was suggested by Twitter follower @Fusion_AmyBaker and selected via vote by the zoo's Facebook fans, She's been going out in the zebra yard daily, and is curious, but is never far from mom, as seen in the video below.

Photo Credit: Cincinnatti Zoo

 

It's All Black and White: Baby Zebra Born at Paignton Zoo!

The UK's Paignton Zoo is celebrating its first zebra birth in a decade when a new baby Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra was born in the early morning on February 28 to six-year-old mom Goma. Senior Head Keeper of Mammals Matthew Webb said: “We had to help him get to his feet, but after that he started to suckle well.” The as-of-yet unnamed foal is thought to be a male. 

“This is great news," said Paignton Zoo Director of Operations and Curator of Mammals Neil Bemment said. "We need more foals to increase the zoo population and, as there is presently a lack of available males in the European Endangered species Program, he will certainly have a future part to play in saving his species.”

A single foal is born after a gestation of 11.5 months (350 days). Some populations are protected in national parks. There is a European Endangered species Program (EEP) for this zebra managed by Marwell Zoo.  

Photo Credit: Paignton Zoo

Read more about Zebras after the jump!