Keepers and staff at Attica Zoological Park in Athens, Greece are thrilled to announce the birth of a male baby Siamang gibbon. The infant was born December 21 and he’s the 4th baby of Attica’s pair, Guildo and Conor.

Attica Zoo keeps their siamangs in free contact with the keepers so they can monitor their health and behavior from up close and be ready to treat any illness or injury from the very first signs.

Getting the baby used to this starts very early, from its first days.

Siamangs dwell in the Tropical rainforests of Malaysia, Sumatra, and Thailand.

Unlike other apes, they usually walk on two legs when on the ground.

Their extra-long arms help them swing from branch to branch, leaping distances up to 9m.

They are monogamous and pairs usually stay together for life.

Siamangs are syndactylous, having their 2nd and 3rd toes fused by a thin webbing of skin.

When fully inflated, the throat sac is comparable in size to the animal's head.

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A birth is always a joy and this is double when, in addition, it is a reason for optimism for the planet's biodiversity. The BIOPARC technical team closely followed the evolution of the females in the dril group and, early in one of these last days of the cold storm, the satisfactory news arrived. As it is one of the primate species in greatest danger of extinction in Africa, the keepers could not hide their happiness, since the birth of this male occurs within the international conservation program (EEP) in which the Valencian park has a featured role. After verifying that the mother's upbringing was developing normally and given that the group is very cohesive, it can now be seen in the area that recreates the riverside forests of the Equatorial Africa area, in the "multispecies" enclosure where they coexist with sitatungas, pygmy hippos, talapoins and Nile geese.

Drills (Mandrillus leucophaeus) are included in the red list of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as “endangered”, the first step to consider their situation “critical”. The Valencian breeding group is made up of the imposing male Rafiki, the adult females Abuja and Kianja, mother of the newborn, and the offspring of the last six young. It is a little known species compared to other primates such as baboons and success in ex situ conservation is vital to guarantee its survival. In this way, when they reach adulthood, BIOPARC has already transferred several of the calves born in Valencia to other zoological institutions, favoring the creation of other groups to achieve the maximum possible genetic variability.

BIOPARC Valencia remains open to the public following all the sanitary recommendations and the new COVID-19 measures and calls for collective responsibility in the development of the visits.

Staff at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, Texas are thrilled to see baby scimitar-horned oryx running around the Front Pasture, especially considering this is a critically endangered species.

One calf is born after a gestation period of eight months and nurses until about five months of age.

Calves form groups within the herd called “créches.”

Oryx are seldom seen alone, with the exception of very old males.

Historically, these oryx lived in herds of 20-40 individuals, led by a single male.

During migrations and times of plentiful water, herds of 1,000 or more were seen.

Healthy and lively lion cubs are preventively vaccinated against cat flu, dewormed and weighed by the zoo vet at Royal Burgers' Zoo

Arnhem, 4th February 2021 - Thursday 4th February 2021 in the early morning, zoo vet Henk Luten preventively vaccinated lion triplets against cat flu at Royal Burgers' Zoo, Arnhem, The Netherlands. The healthy and lively lion cubs were also dewormed and weighed, seizing the opportunity. Very soon the triplets and their mother will be introduced to the other lions in Arnhem: an adult male, a second adult female and two other slightly elder cubs. In total, eight lions will inhabite a large outdoor enclosure.

9.5 weeks of age

The lion triplets were born in Arnhem on 26th November 2020. At 9.5 weeks of age, they received their second and last vaccination against cat flu this morning. All three cubs are female and will remain in Burgers' Zoo for the next couple of years. One of the two elder cubs is a male, the other one is a female. In order to prevent inbreeding, the adult male will probably move to another zoo in a couple of years.

World-famous breeder of lions

Nowadays, breeding lions in zoos is common practice. In the 1960s, however, Royal Burgers' Zoo was world-famous in breeding lions, whereas other zoos were less successful. Already in 1965, one thousand lion cubs had been born in Arnhem! Even the famous roaring 'Leo the Lion' (1957 - until now) of MGM Studios in the USA was born in Royal Burgers' Zoo. Times have changed and zoos nowadays work internationally closely together, sharing experience and know-how easily and readily amongst colleagues. Breeding lions is very successful in zoos at the moment. In nature, lion populations have dropped dramatically in recent decades, unfortunately: WWF estimates a decrease of approximately 40%!

Bramble Park Zoo in Watertown South Dakota received an early Christmas gift. A baby yak was born! This is the first for the 108-year-old AZA accredited zoo. In the early morning hours of December 15, zookeepers spotted something on the ground in the domestic yak exhibit. Staff acted quickly and discovered a baby yak had recently been born. The newborn yak needed immediate attention because the mother (3-year-old Nika) was not caring for her new offspring. Zookeepers rounded up towels and blankets and began the process of drying and warming the calf. The calf was treated by the veterinarian for frostbite on the nose and lips, given IV fluids, and a shot of Nuflor to combat possible pneumonia. Zookeepers have been working around the clock to make sure Roberta Dolores is drinking, gaining weight, staying warm, and getting stronger each day. She is drinking 37 oz. of milk replacer each feeding and now weighs 64 pounds. Berta, as the keepers call her, often gets the zoomies when out exercising in the kangaroo yard.

This is the first glimpse of one of the most unusual and threatened lemurs in the world – born at Bristol Zoo Gardens.

It is an aye-aye and although it arrived almost two months ago it has been kept out of sight by its mother until now. 

Aye-ayes are nocturnal and are famed for having an extended middle finger which they use to find food inside logs and trees. 

Senior Mammal Keeper Paige Bwye, who took these remarkable pictures, said: “I went to check on the aye-ayes and I saw these two bright, dark eyes peering at me and I knew immediately it was the new infant. 

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo today announced the birth of two Amur tiger cubs, the first tigers born in Cleveland in 20 years. 

The cubs, a male and female, were born overnight between December 24 and December 25, and are being hand-reared by a special team of Animal Care experts behind-the-scenes at the Zoo’s Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine.

Over the past few weeks, the cubs have been bottle-fed five times a day and have been gaining weight as well as reaching developmental milestones including opening their eyes and beginning to walk. Once they are a few months old, having gained adequate strength and fitness, they will make their home at the Zoo’s Rosebrough Tiger Passage.

Pippa, a female cheetah at Cango Wildlife Ranch gave birth to 5 purrrrfect cheetah cubs at the end of 2020.

Since the worldwide epidemic has threatened to close Cango Wildlife Ranch, a 35-year-old business, they were honored to receive an early Christmas present after a challenging year.

Cango says the cubs need your support; by  sponsoring one of them, you are contributing towards saving an endangered species. Your funds will be used for their feed, vaccinations & maintenance of their enclosure.

SEATTLE—The baby boom continues at Woodland Park Zoo with the birth of a western lowland gorilla and it’s a girl! The mom, Nadiri (naw-DEER-ee), gave birth Friday, January 29, at 10:25 a.m. (PST). The gestation period for gorillas is eight to nine months.

Credit for photos and video: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo
 
Shortly after birth, zoo gorilla and veterinary staff had to step in and place the baby under round-the-clock care in the gorilla building because Nadiri had not picked up her baby to nurse or keep her warm enough the first day. Staff are nourishing the baby by bottle feeding her human infant formula, keeping her warm and providing her with short visits with her mother; the baby is doing well.
 
The first 72 hours of life are the most critical for a newborn gorilla. “We will continue to provide hands-on care while keeping the baby in close proximity to Nadiri 24/7 and attempting to reintroduce her to mom,” said Martin Ramirez, mammal curator at Woodland Park Zoo. Nadiri has visual, auditory and olfactory contact with her baby. “We will continue to introduce Nadiri to her baby. She is staying close and has picked up her baby for short periods over the weekend, but has not shown any interest in nursing her. By doing short introduction sessions frequently throughout each day, we hope her maternal instinct will soon kick in.”

It may only be February, but here at ZooBorns there’s already been plenty to report! Enjoy this compilation of ZooBorns’ twenty most popular babies of January 2021*.

Every Little Bat Helps: 3 Rare 'Rod' Bat Babies Born at Oregon Zoo 
https://youtu.be/SBe2VRFl_I4

Two Penguin Chicks Hatch in IndianapolisZoo , One to a Same-sex Pair
https://youtu.be/7Y0unyV06Qc

Port Lympne Welcomes Javan Gibbon Baby
https://youtu.be/a28Tol_ADfI

Two Polar Bear Cubs Born at the Detroit Zoo 
https://youtu.be/wqCAAuem1ws  

Zoologická zahrada hl. m. Prahy  Breeds a Rare Pesquet's Parrot
https://youtu.be/sevLbCIKKuw

Roo-m for One More? Adorable Tree Kangaroo Joey Emerges at Taronga Zoo Sydney 
https://youtu.be/vr0S0KDxIp0

Lee Richardson Zoo announces birth of critically endangered black rhino
https://youtu.be/3UzcAmql5k4

New year, new baby seahorses!  SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
https://youtu.be/t87QoMhP8ls

After a Rocky Start, A Baby Langur Monkey Is Thriving at Philadelphia Zoo
https://youtu.be/SIMv6C2TbP0

Mystery Surrounds Conception of Baby Rays SEALIFE Kelly Tarlton's
https://youtu.be/3jxITGjHWxY

A Year in the Life of Willi The Baby Southern White Rhino at Zoo Dortmund
https://youtu.be/vEgXFxKHNfo

 Taronga Zoo Sydney  celebrates the birth of an adorable female Long-nosed Fur Seal pup
https://youtu.be/H-AL4soVVvA

A Trio of Baby Emperor Tamarin Monkeys at Zoovienna Tiergarten Schönbrunn 
https://youtu.be/SXiiwPbeRiM

Kiwi chick hatches for first time at Franklin Park Zoo
https://youtu.be/41RnAQl6WSY

Maisie Message: Chimpanzees do not make good pets The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore 
https://youtu.be/xniUNsYUKq4

Endangered Baby Zebra at Toronto Zoo  Has a Name
https://youtu.be/KhTJTO2n3CQ

(SOUND UP!) Otter Pups Munch On Their Favorite Snack at Zoo Dortmund
https://youtu.be/XFYndWtAFwU

Baby Boom Continues at The Wilds!
https://youtu.be/AOntzy2VG8s

Giant Panda Cub Xiao Qi Ji vs the Rock Wall at Smithsonian's National Zoo 
https://youtu.be/6Crp-l5p4T4

Baby Elephant Kiran Turns 1 at Zoo Leipzig 
https://youtu.be/zdkQnXGrSL4

*Some of the featured babies were born or hatched in 2020. This round-up features highlights from the most popular videos we shared in January 2021.