An Antelope That Can Only Be Seen At BIOPARC Valencia Is Born In Public View
September 29, 2021
The Valencian park is the reference center in Europe for the “ex situ” conservation of the Natal red duiker. Included in the IUCN Red List, this almost unknown antelope can only be seen in Spain at BIOPARC.
Tuesday, September 28, 2021.- The miracle of life has once again surprised the visitors of BIOPARC who have been excited to attend the delivery of a very little-known African antelope, the red duiker of Natal. It all happened last Friday afternoon, when wild nature once again showed its most tender and hopeful face and many people felt on a trip to the distant African jungles to experience a “live documentary”. The diligent mother's demeanor was impressive when, following her instinct not to arouse the interest of potential predators, she ate the placenta. It also stimulated the young, facilitated lactation and was protective. It was also moving to see the goat's first steps and the curiosity it aroused among the rest of the animals that inhabit the same enclosure.
The objective of BIOPARC is to reach the heart, to move to change the attitude of people towards the conservation of the environment. This is achieved by recreating the beauty of nature but, without a doubt, moments like contemplating a birth are unforgettable. In this case, in addition, it is a species that cannot be seen anywhere else in Spain and that is included in the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of threatened species.
This new birth of a Natal red duiker (Cephalophus natalensis), reaffirms BIOPARC as the most important center for its conservation within the international program (ESB) and currently houses the largest group in Europe with five individuals. The technical team has closely followed the evolution to maintain their maximum well-being and confirm that both the mother and the calf are perfectly. In this sense, the first days they will stay indoors to guarantee their tranquility and soon we will be able to contemplate them together with their flock in the outdoor enclosure.
In BIOPARC they are located in the area that recreates the forests of equatorial Africa, in a multispecies enclosure that they share with the eastern Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci), the Kirk's Dik-dik (Madoqua kirkii) and the black-necked crowned cranes (Balearica pavonina) .