Denver Zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of a male De Brazza's Monkey named Kanoa! He was born to mother, Marinda and father, Kisoro, on November 27. This is the second birth for Kisoro, who came to Denver Zoo after being rescued from a black market in the Congo. Like his sister Kanani, born December 19, 2009, Kanoa is described as very independent and precocious despite his mother's early attempts to be protective. This makes his name all the more appropriate. "Kanoa" is Hawaiian for "free one."

Photo credits: Dave Parsons / Denver Zoo

Many years of research are celebrated in the birth of two cheetah cubs at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute—the first Cheetahs born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park facility in Front Royal, Va. The cubs were born to two separate females; the first to 5-year-old Amani Dec. 6, the second to 9-year-old Zazi Dec. 16. Cheetahs that give birth to only one cub, called a singleton, cannot produce enough milk to keep the cub alive. Typically, females in the wild will let a single cub die, after which they will enter estrus and breed again to theoretically produce a larger litter. So scientists at SCBI resorted to an alternative technique. The cub born to Amani, a first-time mother, was hand-raised for 13 days before being placed with Zazi, creating a litter of two that will likely help stimulate milk production from Zazi. Researchers have observed both cubs nursing from Zazi.

Photo and video credits: Lindsay Renick Mayer, Smithsonian's National Zoo

“When we realized that Amani had a singleton, we removed the cub to hand rear it,” said Adrienne Crosier, SCBI cheetah biologist. “So when Zazi gave birth, we decided it was the perfect opportunity to give both cubs a chance at survival as one litter under her care without any additional interference by us. Only a few institutions in North American have ever successfully cross-fostered cheetah cubs and this is a first for SCBI.”

More pictures, video and info after the jump...

Photo credits: Zoo Basel

These little piglets may not be especially exotic, but they are a welcome addition to the Zoo Basel family. As well as these "mini-schweinn", the zoo is home to a variety of animals of the porcine persuasion (if only by name) including Wild Boar, Porcupines, and Guinea Pigs.

Photo credits: San Diego Zoo Safari Park

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park had an African Elephant born yesterday in the dark early morning hours. The calf was born on exhibit in the presence of the other elephant moms and calves well before animal care staff arrived at 6 a.m.  Guests at the Safari Park on Monday could see the newborn in  an upper yard of the Elephant exhibit, where staff is keeping the calf, his mother and 3-year-old brother for overnight observation. Animal care staff expects that she and her two calves will return to the main exhibit Tuesday.

On Monday, December 6th, Melbourne Zoo's Sumatran Orangutan Maimunah gave birth to a female baby. Keepers were on hand to observe the birth and remained on duty to watch over Maimunah and her baby. Zoo Director Kevin Tanner said, 'We would like to put this birth into a larger perspective: about 50 individuals of this endangered species die every week in South-east Asia due to the rapid expansion of palm oil plantations. ‘We hope the community will support our campaign calling for change to food labeling laws, so that when manufacturers use palm oil that will be shown on the label. ‘It's encouraging to know that our supermarket choices can make a difference to Orangutan survival in the wild.  For how to help, please see Don't Palm Us Off.

Photo and video credits: Melbourne Zoo

Longtime ZooBorns readers will know what a bright orange baby monkey means... a newborn Francois' Langur! Mesker Park Zoo is proud to announce the November 26th birth of a little male to mother Liang. The orange bundle of joy is held constantly by either Liang or Sai, another female langur in the collection, even when he clearly wants to go adventuring, as in the video below.

Francois’ Langurs are endangered leaf-eating monkeys found in the forests of Vietnam, Laos, and China. Over the last 20 years the Langur population has decreased by a shocking 85%, primarily due to hunting. Interestingly, these monkeys typically live on limestone cliffs where they prefer to sleep in caves if available. There are only about seventy Francois Langurs in fourteen North American Zoos, seven of them found at Mesker Park Zoo. 

Photo credits: Aquarium of the Pacific

Aquarium visitors have the chance to take a sneak peek at the newest furry baby animal at the Aquarium of the Pacific through daily behind-the-scenes tours as of Friday, Dec. 10. The three-month old orphaned Sea Otter was stranded and rescued off of Santa Cruz when she was just weeks old.

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The seven Lion cubs born at the National Zoo are now sporting seven names. Just before the cubs made their debut in the Lion yard yesterday morning, the Zoo announced their names: John, Fahari, Zuri, Lelie, Baruti, Aslan and Lusaka. “We were touched to receive so many thoughtful name suggestions for the cubs from so many different sources,” said Dennis Kelly, director of the Zoo. “Each of the seven final names has a special meaning or connection that the cubs will carry with them during their time here at the National Zoo.”

Photo credits: Mehgan Murphy, Smithsonian’s National Zoo

More [PHOTOS] below the fold...

Photo credits: Ken Bohn / San Diego Zoo

Three-month-old Boris quickly slurps down a bottle before prancing through his exhibit at the San Diego Zoo. San Diego Zoo keepers expect to wean the reindeer from his bottle on Christmas Day, one of the 365 days a year the Zoo is open. The little Reindeer was a surprise when he was born at the Zoo on Sept. 18 in an exclusively female Reindeer exhibit. (Scientists do not believe there was any miracle involved, though; Boris’ mother was just unexpectedly pregnant when she arrived at the Zoo in May.)

More [PHOTOS] below the fold...