A group of Squirrel Monkeys new to Australia’s Taronga Zoo has already produced two energetic youngsters.  The troop leaps and climbs in the treetops of the zoo’s Amazonia exhibit. 

Photo Credit: Taronga Zoo 

Eleven females recently joined Taronga’s male, Chico, in the exhibit.  Eight weeks ago, two of the females gave birth to single babies. Taronga Zoo is part of the joint Australasian breeding program for Bolivian Squirrel Monkeys.

Over the next few months, the baby Squirrel Monkeys will cling to their mothers like tiny, furry backpacks until they are ready to start exploring on their own.

Squirrel Monkeys engage in alloparenting, in which other females assist the new mothers by carrying and grooming the infants. They are native to South America, where their rain forest habitat is threatened by illegal logging.

See more photos of the baby Squirrel Monkeys below.

A baby Meerkat is making its first public appearance at the United Kingdom’s Longleat Safari & Adventure Park.

Photo Credit:  Ian Turner
 
Although born in May, the pup has spent the last two months inside an underground den with first-time parents Cassie and Pipsqueak.  This week, the baby is venturing outside for the first time!

“It’s been a long wait but the pup is now loving the outside and can be regularly spotted alongside the six other adults in this group,” said Longleat’s Darren Beasley.  “All the older Meerkats take turns in keeping watch over the baby and share any tasty bugs that they find.”   Keepers don’t know the baby’s gender yet.

Baby Meerkats are born virtually naked and helpless with their eyes closed. They spend the first weeks of life underground and are completely reliant on their mother’s milk.  Once they begin venturing outside, they stay close to their burrows under the watchful eye of a Meerkat babysitter.

At around two months of age the pups, although still nursing, will start foraging for insects and other food items with the rest of the group but it can take up to 16 weeks for them to be completely weaned.

Native to southern Africa, Meerkats spend much of their day sunbathing.  Lying on their backs, their dark-skinned, sparsely-furred bellies act as 'solar panels' to warm them up.

Meerkats have a wide vocabulary with a variety of alarm calls. Meerkats are relatively long-lived, particularly in captivity where individuals can live for up to 12 years or more.

Meet Point Defiance Zoo's 9-week-old Canada Lynx kitten. Jasper is part of the Species Survival Plan® for Canada Lynx, which are listed as endangered in Washington state. He now weighs about 4 pounds and is being hand-reared by Point Defiance Zoo staff. Jasper will make periodic appearances around the zoo this summer as he grows into his role as an ambassador for his species.

An endangered species of lemur has become the first of its kind to be born at Chester Zoo. The new youngster – an Alaotran Gentle Lemur - arrived to mum Molly and dad Fady.

Keepers have kept a close eye on the new family during the baby’s important first few weeks, although staff are still uncertain about the one-month-old’s sex.

Curator of mammals, Tim Rowlands, said: “Both mum and dad are doing a great job of bringing up their new charge. Mum is super protective and dad is also pulling his weight – he occasionally helps to do some of the carrying. “This is a critically endangered species. They face a very real threat of extinction in the wild and this is the first time the species has ever bred at Chester Zoo.”

In the wild the Alaotran Gentle Lemur is only found around Lake Alaotra in Madagascar. The species is being threatened by habitat destruction as the reed beds where it lives are being burned and the lake drained for rice irrigation. They are also caught for food and others are captured and sold as pets who rarely survive, meaning they are classed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). It is believed that just 2,500 remain in the wild.

This striking Tawny Frogmouth chick is being hand-reared by Bird keeper Jade Stott at Cotswold Wildlife Park. She took on the role of surrogate mother to the beautiful baby bird when, unfortunately, the breeding adults didn't prove to be the most capable of parents. To give it the greatest chance of survival, the Bird section decided to hand-rear the chick.

It is the first time Jade has hand-reared this particular species and she has dedicated the last month to raising the tiny chick at home. It was no small task as the newborn required twenty-four hour care in those precious early days and feeds every two hours. The youngster has been soley dependent on Jade for survival. The Park’s Bird section are delighted with the blossoming healthy chick, who is growing day-by-day thanks to Jade’s dedicated parenting skills. Weighing just 21 grams when it hatched on 4th June 2014, the fluffy chick now weighs 231 grams and has made quite an impression on its surrogate mother.

Jade Stott said: "Hand-rearing the Tawny Frogmouth has been a massive learning curve. Having a tiny chick absolutely dependent on you is a little daunting at first, but the rewards of seeing it grow and develop its own cheeky character are more than enough payback for the sleepless nights. I'm definitely a proud mother hen!"

Jade has named the chick Murray, but it is too early to determine the sex of the bird. Visitors can see the chick in the Park’s specialist incubation room (next to the Penguin enclosure) where it will remain for a few more weeks.

Tawny Frogmouths (Podargus strigoides) are a fascinating species but little is known about their behaviour. Professor Gisela Kaplan, who teaches animal behaviour at the University of New England in Australia, is the author of the most comprehensive single study* ever conducted about these intriguing and endearing birds. Her ten year project unearthed completely new and unexpected findings. She learnt that Tawny Frogmouths are very affectionate and pair for life. When a partner dies, the mate will stay with it for days and will grieve with a high trill for hours on end. The study also uncovered another side to these birds. Gisela describes them as “skunks of the air” as they can send out a foul smell with enormous force over a wide area, perhaps to ward off snakes and big lizards that eat their eggs and chicks. Frogmouths also scream like prowling Tomcats when distressed, fight with lightning speed and defend nest sites from reptilian predators by mobbing and spraying pungent faeces at these dangerous opponents. Even their eye colour changes when threatened by a rival. The irises of the males’ eye turn from yellow to red before they attack any male or female that attempts to enter their territory.

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The Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre assists ill, injured, or abandoned marine mammals with the goal of rehabilitating them for release back into their natural habitat. If you believe a marine mammal is in distress, contact the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre at 604-258-SEAL (7325). To learn more about their important rescue and rehab work visit: http://www.vanaqua.org/act/direct-action/marine-mammal-rescue. ZooBorns is proud to share some of the recently rescued pups along with their stories according to the centre's Facebook page.

"PV1417 "Argon" was admitted this morning from Goose Spit in Comox. This adorable, slightly cross-eyed little pup is only the 2nd female pup admitted so far this season! She was also a transfer from Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society, who were kind enough to house her overnight, and administer some much needed fluids and glucose. Again a huge thanks to Harbour Air Seaplanes for donating the cargo space to fly her over to us!"

"PV1412 "Radium" was admitted June 26 from busy Iona beach. He was found under a jetty, trying to avoid the circling eagles in the area. Thanks Matt and Melanie, and to GVRD for assistance!"

"PV1414 "Radon" was admitted June 28 from Vancouver Island. Thank you to Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society for housing and organizing transport for this little guy, and to helicopter pilot Norm for flying him all the way to us!"

"Curious PV1432 "Abba" is settling in well after her transfer from the Island Wildlife Natural Care Centre to our facility. The IWNCC helps to stabilize seal pups that are found farther away from our centre, playing an important part in rehabilitating these animals in their younger, more vulnerable stages. Many thanks to Marielle and the team for helping rehabilitate this pup!"

A Red Panda cub born June 9 at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo made her media debut this week and was proclaimed “feisty, chubby, and squirmy” by her keepers.

Photo Credit:  Fort Wayne Children's Zoo

 
Now 30 days old, the female cub passed a critical milestone.  “About half of all Red Panda cubs die within 30 days after birth,” says Animal Curator Mark Weldon.  “We are obviously pleased that our cub has made it this far.”  The cub has not yet been named.

Though the cub has survived the first 30 days, she still faces other hurdles. “Weaning is a critical time for Red Panda cubs as they make the transition from mother’s milk to solid food,” explained Zoo Keeper Helena Lacey.  Weaning occurs when the cub is five to six months old.

Five-year-old mother Xiao and her cub spend nearly all of their time in an air-conditioned nest box within the Red Panda exhibit, where Xiao nurses, grooms, and sleeps next to her cub.  This is natural behavior for Red Pandas, which nest in hollow trees in the wild.  Cubs typically remain in the nest box for about three months. 

Zoo keepers monitor the duo via a remote camera mounted in the nest box.  “They sleep most of the time, but we also see Xiao grooming herself and the cub,” said Lacey.  Xiao leaves the nest box several times a day to eat and climb in the exhibit while her cub remains in the nest box. 

Three to four times a week, zoo keepers distract Xiao with a tasty bamboo branch and quickly weigh the cub.  So far, the cub is gaining weight and has more than tripled her birth weight of 139 grams to 454 grams (about one pound).  Twice a week, the veterinary staff performs a brief exam on the cub, checking for any abnormalities.

The cub’s eyes are now open.  The baby squirms and squeals during her weigh-ins and checkups – signs of a strong and alert cub.  At this time, the zoo staff sees no need to intervene by hand-rearing the cub or offering supplemental feedings, though protocols are in place should the need arise.

The breeding of Red Pandas is overseen by the Species Survival Plan (SSP), a program of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA).  The goal of the SSP is to maximize genetic diversity in zoo-dwelling populations of endangered and threatened animals. 

Red Pandas are native to the forested foothills of the Himalaya Mountains in China and Nepal, where they feed primarily on bamboo.  Though they share a name with the famed black-and-white giant pandas, the two are not closely related.  The name “panda” comes from the Nepalese word ponya, which means “bamboo-eater.” They are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Taronga Zoo welcomed its first koala joey for this year’s breeding season, with the little female beginning to explore the world outside her mother’s pouch to the delight of visitors.

Photo Credit:  Taronga Zoo

 

The joey has been named Bai’yali (pronounced ‘bye-yah-lee’) after the D'harawal Aboriginal word for ‘stringybark,’ one of the eucalyptus species favoured by koalas. 

Koala keeper Laura Jones said mother Tilly had taken to her new role remarkably well.

“She’s proving to be a very relaxed and nurturing mum. She’s doing all the right things and her joey is thriving. Bai’yali is fully out of the pouch now and can often be seen holding onto mum and snuggling in her belly when they are resting,” said Laura. 

At seven months old, the joey is beginning to taste eucalyptus leaves and steadily gaining weight and the fluffy fur for which koalas are known. She will spend at least another three months with her mother before venturing out on her own. 

Part of Taronga Zoo’s koala breeding program, Bai’yali is the first of three joeys expected to emerge at the Zoo this breeding season. Tilly’s younger sister and tree-mate, River, is also carrying a male joey. 

“He still just fits inside mum’s pouch, but it won’t be long before he’s out and about too,” said Laura. 

Koalas are under threat from urban development and forestry breaking up their natural habitat.

See more photos of the joey below.

Lion Country Safari, a leader in Giraffe breeding programs in North America with over 60 Giraffe births, just welcomed its first giraffe calf of 2014. The baby, named Nafari, which means “first-born” in Swahili, was born June 24th. He was born weighing 141.5 pounds (64.3 kg) and measured 70 inches (1.78 m) tall. 

Nafari and his mom are segregated from the herd in the maternity pen to allow bonding time.  They are visible in the drive-through preserve (section 7, Hwange National Park) or from the Giraffe feeding exhibit at Lion Country Safari.  In nearly three months, they will join the remainder of the Giraffe herd at Lion Country Safari. Soon enough, Nafari will have younger companions as other female Giraffe are expected to give birth in the near future.

Female Giraffe reproduce year-round beginning at about four years of age. Their conception peak is usually during the rainy season and their gestation lasts approximately fifteen months. Giraffe calves are born while the mother is in a standing position and they drop to the ground head first. Life expectancy of a Giraffe is twenty-five years.
 
Lion Country Safari is dedicated to the captive breeding of a number of rare or endangered species and is proud to participate in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan. This conservation program helps to ensure the survival of selected wildlife species.

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