In the early hours of August 15, Flo, a Grevy’s Zebra, gave birth to a brand-new member of this endangered species at the Chester Zoo.

Within an hour of birth, the foal was standing and nursing.  Then, after a few stumbles, the skinny youngster figured out how to maneuver its long, striped legs and began running.  Keepers don’t know the foal’s gender, so they have not yet chosen a name. The foal currently has brown stripes, but they’ll eventually turn black as the foal matures.

Photo Credit:  Chester Zoo
 
Grevy’s Zebras are the largest and most endangered of the world’s three remaining Zebra species, and they are found only in isolated areas of Ethiopia and Northern Kenya.  

Grevy’s Zebra populations have fallen by 85% in the last 30 years, and experts estimate that as few as 1,900 individuals remain in the wild.  The decline is attributed to a reduction of water sources, habitat loss, hunting, and disease. The species has disappeared across most of its range and is already extinct in Somalia and Sudan. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the Grevy’s Zebra as Endangered.

The Chester Zoo’s new foal will be an important addition to the species’ breeding program.

See more photos of the new foal below.