Bioparc Valencia

“Live” Birth of a Blesbok at BIOPARC Valencia

If you visited BIOPARC Valencia in Spain this morning, you might have witnessed one of the most incredible moments in nature. A new life came into the world right before the eyes of visitors to the Park’s Savannah Exhibit. A Blesbok (Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi) was born to the great surprise and amazement of all present. As if in a "live" documentary, around 11:30 in the morning, one of the females in the herd began to show signs of going into labor. This animal and another of the females were in a reserved area of ​​the enclosure, since the BIOPARC Valencia technical team was watching the evolution of the pregnancy and awaiting the birth. These special precautions are aimed at guaranteeing the welfare of the animals at such a delicate moment.

BIOPARC’s Blesbok group is part of an international breeding program for the preservation of the species and is made up of eight individuals: the reproductive male, four adult females, two young from last year and the newborn. The blesboks coexist in a recreation of the African savannah at BIOPARC with giraffes; peculiar species of birds such as the jabirus, the sacred ibis and the Cape teal; and three other species of antelope: kobos, impalas, and Thomson's gazelles. Blesboks are easily distinguished by the striking white markings on their faces that contrast with the reddish brown of their bodies and by both males and females having long, curved lyre-shaped horns. All this life in the savannah passes under the watchful eye of the lions that observe them from the rocks of the Kopje.

Blesboks are diurnal animals that spend most of the morning and afternoon grazing, and resting at noon and at night. Gestation is about 240 days. They usually have one baby per litter and offspring generally arrive in the last stage of spring in late June or early July. They are included in the red list of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). They were in serious danger of extinction in the 19th century due to widespread hunting, which reduced their population in the wild to only about two thousand individuals. Thanks to conservation efforts, many populations have recovered and today they are in a stable situation.


A Seba Python Snake Lays Eggs At BIOPARC Valencia

The Seba Python is the largest snake in Africa, with an average size of 3 to 5 m in length and a maximum of 8 m. They have a triangular head covered in irregular scales, which are usually blackish-gray brown in color. The head also has two light-colored bands that form a spearhead in the shape of the mouth.

Like many other species of snakes, they are quite solitary, seeking out members of their own species only during the breeding season. They mostly stay on the ground, but sometimes climb trees in a pinch. They can swim well and stay submerged for a long time, to avoid potential threats.

Although they are mainly nocturnal when they are adults, Seba pythons can be active during the day to sunbathe and thermoregulate. Juveniles, however, are usually active at dawn and dusk, preferring to retreat to the safety of a rock formation or hollow tree for the day and night.

They have a reputation for being particularly aggressive. If they cannot escape when threatened, they bite and contract with great ferocity. They have large, recurved teeth and their bites are very painful.

The Seba python is now confined primarily to game reserves, national parks, and isolated sections of the African savanna. Due to hunting for their meat and skin, there has been a great decline in this species in recent years.

More information: www.bioparcvalencia.es


A New Baby Drill Has Been Born In Bioparc Valencia

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.

Enero 2021 - BIOPARC Valencia - Nace una cría de dril_4

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.


A Species “Saved” from Extinction Is Born in BIOPARC Valencia

The third Mhorr gazelle that is born this year in the Valencian park is a great joy for the conservationist world that has literally prevented the tragic disappearance of this beautiful African antelope that is still in "critical danger" on the IUCN Red List.

BIOPARC Valencia is a true reserve of life and also of life in danger of extinction . Its active participation in more than 40 endangered species preservation programs (EEP) have, in just a few years, made it a reference center for various species and their genetic reserve. And a paradigmatic one is, without a doubt, the Mhorr gazelle ( Nanger dama mhorr ) also called Dama gazelle that became extinct in its habitat and has survived thanks to the intense efforts of conservationists and parks such as BIOPARC.

In 2014 the first females arrived at the park from Rotterdam (Holland) and in 2015 a male from Madrid to create a breeding group at BIOPARC Valencia within the International Conservation Program of this species classified as "critically endangered" by the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Numerous specimens have been born within this herd and many of them have been transferred to other parks to continue the very important challenge of definitively saving the emblematic Mhorr gazelle from extinction. This beautiful female is the third birth of this unusual year in which, in the middle of a period of confinement when the park was closed to the public, the first was born. That calf was a breath of hope for the BIOPARC team and for many people who value the importance of protecting each species to conserve the planet's biodiversity . And with this sentiment, by popular vote, that first calf was named Hope.

We can see the group in a multispecies enclosure in the savannah living with other antelopes, the addax ( Addax nasomaculatus ). Slender and with a bright coat of an intense reddish color, their white markings stand out on the face, throat and lower part of the body. Indiscriminate hunting killed them in their habitat and only the effort and vision of the future of Professor José Antonio Valverde prevented their extinction. The group of 11 gazelles that he transferred to Spain for their protection are the germ of a recovery that continues today. There is currently a population of more than 300 specimens living in various European, North American and South African zoological institutions . And the ambitious reintroduction plan continues in different projects in North Africa. This beautiful gazelle is an example of the necessary involvement of the conservation world in all areas. The cooperation for its conservation in situ and ex situ and the very important awareness of the population to motivate a change of attitude towards the protection of nature.


Bioparc Valencia Has Baby Naked Mole Rats!

 

Baby Naked Mole Rats have been born at  @Bioparc Valencia ! The naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is an exclusively underground rodent that lives in the subsoil of the arid zones of the so-called “Horn of Africa” (Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti). The permanent semi-darkness in which it lives has motivated a peculiar anatomy, reducing the size of its eyes and visual capacity. Their legs are very short and allow them to move quickly in tunnels, both forward and backward. The head is disproportionate, with tiny eyes and ears. Of particular note are the large and unique mobile incisors that separate and move independently and are used to excavate the hard earth and create a complex system of tunnels that can measure several kilometers in length.


Baby Aardvark The Newest Arrival at Bioparc Valencia

Primavera 2019 - Nace una nueva cría de oricteropo en BIOPARC Valencia (4)

On May 12, Bioparc Valencia announced a rare birth: a baby Aardvark was born!

The baby joins a family of mom, dad, and two siblings. For now, mom and baby have private living quarters so they can properly bond and rest. Keepers report that mom and baby appear to be doing well, and they check on the pair often during these critical early weeks. Twice a day, the baby is inspected and weighed to make sure it is gaining weight at a steady pace.

Primavera 2019 - Nace una nueva cría de oricteropo en BIOPARC Valencia (6)
Primavera 2019 - Nace una nueva cría de oricteropo en BIOPARC Valencia (6)Photo Credit: Bioparc Valencia

Eventually, mom and baby (who keepers suspect is a female) will join the family in the outdoor habitat, where they spend the evenings digging holes in search of insects as they would in the wild.

At birth, baby Aardvarks weigh about three pounds and have droopy ears and hairless, wrinkled skin. As the baby grows, the wrinkles gradually disappear and the ears are held upright.  Body hair starts to appear at five to six weeks of age.

Aardvarks are native to sub-Saharan Africa and spend their days hidden in burrows. At night, they emerge and search for ants and termites to eat. Aardvarks’ huge claws dig small trenches in the soil as they sniff and listen for insect activity. Using the long, sticky tongue, Aardvarks lick up thousands of ants and termites – as many as 50,000 per night.

Bioparc Valencia houses the only reproductive group of Aardvarks in Spain.




Rare Chimpanzee Twins Born At Bioparc Valencia

D1657763-E16A-4D98-B26D-7872C8448135

Valentine’s Day was extra special at Bioparc Valencia this year  when female Chimpanzee Marlin gave birth to twins. 

11B24596-BEB5-436D-83C5-2FD9CAB354AD
11B24596-BEB5-436D-83C5-2FD9CAB354AD
11B24596-BEB5-436D-83C5-2FD9CAB354AD
11B24596-BEB5-436D-83C5-2FD9CAB354ADPhoto Credit: Bioparc Valencia

The staff had already been on alert for Malin’s approaching due date.  Malin is an experienced mother, so the staff was not overly concerned, but they added bedding to the Chimps’ indoor quarters and kept a close eye on Malin.

On February 14, they were surprised to discover that Malin had delivered twins! The sex of the infants is not yet known, but the staff can tell them apart by their ear color: one has dark ears and the other has light ears.  

Twins are somewhat rare in Chimpanzees.  Most females give birth to just one infant.  Despite the extra demand of carrying and nursing two babies, Malin is providing excellent care for her youngsters.  

Chimpanzees are native to the forests if western and central Africa.  They are listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.  

 


Amazing Rodent Family Grows at Bioparc Valencia

1_Rata topo desnuda - Heterocephalus glaber - BIOPARC Valencia

After a gestation of 70 days, ten Naked Mole-rat pups were born at BIOPARC Valencia.

The new family makes their home in a special exhibit that recreates the underground life of the African Savannah. Part of the galleries that houses them allows visitors to see the intricate tunnels and rooms where the rodents live and raise their young.

2_Febrero 2019 - Nace una nueva camada de ratas topo en BIOPARC Valencia (2)

3_Febrero 2019 - Nace una nueva camada de ratas topo en BIOPARC Valencia (3)

4_Febrero 2019 - Nace una nueva camada de ratas topo en BIOPARC ValenciaPhoto Credits: BIOPARC Valencia

The Naked Mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is a burrowing rodent native to parts of East Africa. It has a highly unusual set of physical traits that allow it to thrive in a harsh underground environment and is the only mammalian thermoconformer, almost entirely ectothermic (cold-blooded) in how it regulates body temperature. One of the most striking features is the skin that is almost free of hair and "transparent" for lack of an insulating layer of fat under it.

The Naked Mole-rat lacks pain sensitivity in its skin, and has very low metabolic and respiratory rates. The species is also remarkable for its longevity and its resistance to cancer and oxygen deprivation.

These curious rodents are the only mammals with a eusocial behavior, which is also a characteristic feature of insects. Like insects, the Naked Mole-rats live in colonies that have overlapping generations and make an organized division of labor and cooperative care of offspring. Likewise, there is only one reproductive female, the "queen", and one to three breeding males or "drones". The rest of the individuals are divided between "soldiers" and "workers". The rest of the females are sterile, because the "queen" inhibits their reproductive capacity and a part of them ingests the excrements of the queen, which are rich in the sexual hormone estradiol, which activates them to be in "breeding" mode and to exercise of caretakers of the children of the queen.

The Naked Mole-rats longevity is superior to other rodents, up to 30 years, and the low presence of cancerous tumors were already known; thanks to a special gene, p16, which prevents the disordered growth of cells.

We also knew of the species’ resistance to the absence of oxygen. A human brain can die after 1 minute without oxygen, but the Naked Mole-rat holds up to 18 minutes without it and arrives at 5 hours with low oxygen levels. What we now know is that this is because this rodent changes its metabolism to anaerobic and uses fructose as energy as plants do, instead of glucose. These latest discoveries open avenues of investigation not only to increase survival, but also to possibly preserve our brain from the damage and degeneration produced by diseases that cause oxygen deficiency in neurons.


Zebra Foal Has Eventful First Day on Earth

1_BIOPARC Valencia - septiembre 2018 - nacimiento cebra en la Sabana (15)

On the afternoon of September 5, visitors of BIOPARC Valencia were fortunate enough to witness the birth of a Zebra foal.

Amazingly, just a few minutes after the birth, that moment of joy was replaced by one of anguish when the newborn colt accidentally fell into the small body of water in the Zebra exhibit. Keepers quickly entered the water and saved the baby. The newborn was delivered to the anxious mother, while the crowd of zoo patrons responded with applause.

2_BIOPARC Valencia - septiembre 2018

3_BIOPARC Valencia - septiembre 2018

4_BIOPARC Valencia - septiembre 2018Photo Credits: BIOPARC Valencia 

The new foal and mom, La Niña, are doing well. Keepers report that the little Zebra instinctively follows his protective mother.

La Niña arrived at BIOPARC Valencia in 2007 from the Halle Zoo (Germany) and the new colt’s father, Zambé, was transferred from Safari de Peaugres (France) in 2012.

5_BIOPARC Valencia - septiembre 2018

6_BIOPARC Valencia - septiembre 2018


Baby Talapoin Born to Rescued Parents

BIOPARC Valencia - talapoines - madre y cría - agosto 2018Spain’s Bioparc Valencia welcomed a Northern Talapoin, the smallest of all Monkeys found in Africa, on August 21. The birth is significant because it occurred within a group of Talapoins that were confiscated from wildlife smugglers.

BIOPARC Valencia - talapoines - madre y cría - agosto 2018
BIOPARC Valencia - talapoines - madre y cría - agosto 2018
BIOPARC Valencia - talapoines - madre y cría - agosto 2018
Photo Credit: Bioparc Valencia

Baby Talapoins are born weighing almost one-quarter of their adult weight. That means a two-pound adult female could deliver a baby weighing one-half pound. (In humans, that would be akin to a 100-pound woman giving birth to a 25-pound baby.)  The baby Talapoins grow rapidly and are weaned by about six weeks of age. The youngsters are independent by the time they are three months old.

Northern Talapoins are not well studied, so this birth allows the zoo to share information on breeding and reproduction with the scientific community.

Because of their small size and unusual greenish coloration, Talapoins are captured and sold illegally as pets. As in most wildlife trafficking, the animals are kept in cruel conditions (such as being stuffed into PVC pipes), and many die in transport. The lucky group at Bioparc Valencia was spared that fate.

Wildlife trafficking remains a significant problem around the globe. Wild animals should never be kept as pets.