The National Zoo is making great progress with introductions between Shera and her cubs, Naba and her own cubs (born just 3 weeks after Shera's) and Luke, the father of all seven cubs. In recent weeks, keepers have been delicately observing how all three adult Lions interact with one another and the new arrivals. Naba spent some time away from her own babies to meet and even groom Shera's litter. The cubs' sire, Luke, is curious too. While still separate from the babies for their safety, he is able to visit them through a "howdy door" and his interest in the magnificent seven is a great sign. Below are recent pictures of Shera's quartet at 5 weeks old.

Photo credits: National Zoo

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Born and covered by ZooBorns back in July, the ZSL Whipsnade Zoo's Cheetah cubs are growing up but appear just as curious and playful as ever. To celebrate the season and provide the cubs with an interesting activity, Whipsnade keepers hid meaty treats inside of jack-o-lanterns, which the cubs clearly enjoyed as evidenced in the video below. The Whipsnade Zoo works closely with the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) to monitor wild Cheetah populations and develop ways to help cheetahs and humans co-exist in the larger landscape.

Photo credit: Emma Herford

Photo credit: David Alan Rich

The Buffalo Zoo is proud to announce the birth of a baby Western Lowland Gorilla born on October 8 at 7:40 p.m. to mother, Sidney, and father, Koga. Sidney, who was born at the Buffalo Zoo in 1997, and 23-year-old Koga, who arrived from the Memphis Zoo in 2007, are both first-time parents. Sidney continues to provide good care for the baby, while silverback, Koga, protectively watches over them and the rest of the troop. Sydney has not presented the baby close enough for her keepers to accurately determine gender, but both mother and baby are doing fine. Keepers took these first photos from a distance, so as not to cause the animals any undue stress.

Photo credits: Buffalo Zoo

Born July 17 to mom “Allie” and dad “Semo,” Minnesota Zoo's newest calf has spent the past few months bonding with mom, meeting grandma “April,” growing rapidly, and exhibiting her own independence (as mom allows). Weighing approximately 30 pounds and measuring 2-3 feet long at birth, she is now approximately four feet long weighing 60 pounds. Marine mammal staff have closely monitored her since birth and so far, the calf is doing very well. Because she is exploring her new environment, she may not be visible at all times.

Photo credits: Bob Cole

"Now that the calf is three months old and being well cared for by her mom Allie and grandma April, its time to take the next step and give all three females access to the main exhibit pool," said Marine Mammal Supervisor Diane Fusco. "It will be under Allie's watchful eye that the calf explores her new surroundings. We look forward to seeing her more and more, and we know our guests will enjoy watching her antics as she explores her new home." Male dolphins play no role in the rearing of their calves, and because the father could become aggressive toward the mother and/or calf or possibly interfere with the mother/calf bonding process, Semo will be introduced to the calf once the calf is strong and well-bonded with Allie. Semo, 45, is believed to be one of the oldest reproducing male dolphins in human care.

Keepers at Loro Parque, in Tenerife, were seeing double this September when mother sloth Bimba gave birth to two a set of twins. Following the birth, the Loro Parque veterinary team stepped in to hand-raise one of the babies as the mother was only able to care for one offspring. Staff member Kirsten became a surrogate mum, tending to the baby Two-toed Sloth at the on-site clinic and taking her "new baby" home every night, where it sleeps next to her bed in a make-shift cot with a toy gorilla for company (see the video!). Both sloths are healthy and progressing well and the park will reunite the twins at a later date. 

Photo credits: Loro Parque Tenerife / Ulrich Brodde

Two female Lynx kittens – the first born at the Minnesota Zoo since 1993 – are now on exhibit between 9-noon daily. Born May 13, the kittens have been bonding with their mom off exhibit since that time. Their mother, who came to the Zoo in 2007, is a great first time mom and very protective of her kittens. The Minnesota Zoo had nine litters born at the zoo between 1981–1993, totaling 22 kittens.

Photo Credits: Minnesota Zoo

Two Chilean flamingos have hatched at Woodland Park Zoo, marking the second successful breeding season for the species. The first chick hatched on Oct. 3, followed by the second hatching on Oct. 9. Both chicks are under the care of their parents in the flamingo exhibit near the Temperate Forest. Both parents care for their chick, feeding them “crop milk,” which is nutritionally similar to milk that is produced by mammals. The chicks leave their nest about three to five days after hatching but remain in close proximity to their parents for feedings and brooding.

Photo credits: Dennis Dow / Woodland Park Zoo

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As Halloween draws near, Denver Zoo is hatching dragons! Komodo Dragons, that is. Four have already hatched and four more eggs remain in an incubator. The hatchlings began emerging from their shells a week ago. They are all behind-the-scenes now, but visitors should be able to see them in Tropical Discovery’s nursery in time for the zoo’s Halloween event, Boo at the Zoo.

A Komodo Dragon hatchling emerges from its shell (Below)

Photo Credit: Dave Parsons/Denver Zoo

Two baby Killer Whales in just two days! Loro Parque, located in Spain's Canary Islands, welcomed its first orca calf yesteday. Veterinarians, biologists and other experts, watched anxiously over the four hours of labor. Moments after the birth, the onlookers were relieved to see the healthy newborn calf instinctively rise to the surface and take its first breath. The baby weighs 150 kilograms (330 lbs) and measures 2 meters (6.5 feet) long. The conservation status of Killer Whales is poorly understood and scientists are working hard to determine if one or more types of different Killer Whales may be distinct endangered species. 

Special thanks to ZooBorns reader Juan Villalba for alerting us to this birth.

Twice in one week, the Everland Zoo's photographer, In Cherl Kim, has delivered outstanding photos of one of our favorite animals - this time it's the inimitable Fennec Fox! This small nocturnal fox's oversized ears help it track down tasty critters in the dark and also help it dissipate heat in the hot desert sun. An unanticipated tertiary benefit of the Fennec's huge ears was instant celebrity status on ZooBorns. In accredited North American zoos, Fennec Fox breeding is carefully managed by a Species Survival Plan, administered by the St. Louis Zoo. The first two pictures were taken just three days ago, while the second two pictures depict an older kit back in September.

Family Portrait

Photo credits: In Cherl Kim / Everland Zoo

If these aren't reason enough to plan a trip to Korea and the Everland Zoo, we're not sure what is.