Audubon Zoo is celebrating the birth of a special set of twins. The youngsters are screaming hairy armadillo pups, and their birth is the first in North America since 2018.

The pups were born in February and can be found in the Zoo’s Nocturnal House, along with both of their parents. The pups are named Birkenstock and Teva, following a family tradition of names related to shoes. Their father is Chaco, who came to Audubon Zoo last fall. He is separated from the pups while their mom, Dillo, handles their care until they are fully weaned and independent. Once they are older and more mature, they will move to new homes and families of their own.   

The screaming hairy armadillo babies are eating solid foods including bugs, fruits and vegetables. This species can go a long time without drinking water, they typically get all the moisture they need from plants they eat.

Screaming hairy armadillos are native to South America – Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay and get their name because hair covers part of their bodies and the sound they make if they feel threatened.

“Roux” Audubon Zoo’s critically endangered orangutan infant in his outdoor habitat with his mother, Menari. Born on Christmas Eve, Roux received months of around-the-clock care from animal care and veterinary staff. Thanks to Roux’s dedicated care team, he has been successfully reunited with his mother and the rest of the orangutan group.

See More Roux Videos At The Playlist Below:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFSD8pCtwrSUiym5CgxZb0W8Rlw7UfNLI

Audubon Zoo is excited to announce that four maned wolf puppies were born on January 31, 2022. This is the first-ever maned wolves born at Audubon Zoo on record and the first offspring of female Brisa and male Sheldon, who arrived at the Zoo in August 2021.  

“Brisa is doing extremely well as a first-time mother,” said Audubon Zoo’s Vice President and General Curator Bob Lessnau. “She is being extremely attentive to her pups and is nursing well. Sheldon is also stepping up to the plate of fatherhood and has been keeping a close eye on the pups.”  

Look at Roux go! Every day, Roux's caretakers give him exercise opportunities to encourage him to build up his grip strength and stamina, which staff have nicknamed "Baby Bootcamp". 💪 🦧

"Baby Bootcamp" involves Roux's caretakers walking, bending, turning, and climbing while he clings on. Roux's caretakers also utilize orangutan climbing equipment including ropes and swings to encourage pull-ups, which is where Roux grips to his caretakers' fingers and is lifted up and down.

Thanks to the public's support almost 10,000 individuals participated in Audubon Zoo's orangutan infant naming poll. ICYMI The Zoo went live with a naming reveal this morning!

Audubon Zoo is thrilled to announce that its critically endangered Sumatran orangutan infant born on December 24, 2021, has been named Roux. This announcement was made today during a Facebook LIVE on the Zoo’s Facebook page.

Audubon Zoo’s orangutan infant is getting stronger and stronger every day. He now weighs 4.9lbs. He’s spending most of his days in the orangutan building getting to meet the rest of the group through visual introductions. The infant's dedicated care team is also giving him more exercise opportunities to encourage him to build up his stamina and grip strength. Naming announcement coming soon!

Audubon Zoo's dedicated care team gave a live update on their infant orangutan this morning! ICYMI.

Audubon Zoo's orangutan infant is continuing to progress in the right direction! His veterinary and care team are very pleased with his improved hydration and how much formula that he is consuming during his feedings. The team has decided that his feeding tube will be removed and that they will monitor him closely for 24 hours to gauge his caloric consumption. He is still slightly weaker than his care team would like, but they believe with his continual weight gain and other positive health advances that his stamina will improve. Audubon's dedicated team continues to work closely with Children's Hospital New Orleans and The Association of Zoos and Aquariums Orangutan Species Survival Plan advisors on next steps for this little warrior. 

Audubon Zoo’s newborn male orangutan is receiving around-the-clock care by the Zoo’s veterinary and primate care staff under consultation from specialists from Children’s Hospital New Orleans and AZA Orangutan Species Survival Plan advisors.

On December 27, the infant showed signs of weakness and lack of nursing. Based on concerns about the infant’s body temperature and weight, the team intervened to hand-rear and bottle-feed the infant until it can safely be reunited with Menari.   

“The infant’s care team also noticed that his suckling response was weak and inconsistent,” said Audubon’s Senior Veterinarian Bob MacLean. “Children’s Hospital New Orleans offered their support for the critically endangered infant by providing the expertise of a clinical speech pathologist and lactation specialists. The lactation specialists are working with the infant to assess his suckling reflex and train our team to stimulate the appropriate suckling response. So far, this has been very successful.”  

The male Baird's tapir calf born at Audubon Zoo on July 2, 2021, is doing well and gaining weight. Born weighing 19.4 pounds, the calf is now up to approximately 31.5 pounds and gaining almost a pound a day. Full grown Baird's tapirs can weigh up to 800 pounds.

Audubon Zoo's three-year-old Baird's tapir Ixchel has given birth to her first offspring, the result of successful breeding with Tybalt, the Zoo's four-year-old male Baird's tapir. Ixchel's male calf was born on July 2, 2021.

Ixchel came to Audubon Zoo from Franklin Park Zoo in 2019 as part of an Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan recommendation to breed with Tybalt, who arrived at Audubon in 2018 from Nashville Zoo. Species Survival Plans are collaborative conservation efforts among AZA-accredited institutions that recommend breeding based on genetic compatibility.