On April 11th, a lovely Chapman’s Zebra foal was born, at Tiergarten Delitzsch, in Germany!  The healthy female and her mother, ‘Daisy’, have been enjoying the pleasant spring weather, on exhibit, with three other adult zebras and three Eland Antelopes.

Photo Credits: Tiergarten Delitzsch

The Chapman's Zebra eats mainly grass and occasionally shrubs. They are currently at low risk status on the IUCN Red List, but like other animals, are still under threat because of habitat destruction and illegal poaching.

Chapman's Zebra is distinguished by stripes on the lower halves of the legs, which break up into many irregular brown spots. The pastern is not completely black on the lower half. When foals are born they have brown stripes, and in some cases, adults do not develop the black coloration in their fur and keep their brown stripes. Males usually weigh 600–800 pounds and stand at 48–52" tall. Females approximately weigh 500–700 pounds and stand as tall as the males

Like most members of the horse family, zebras, in general, are highly social. Their social structure, however, depends on the species. Like horses, zebras sleep standing up, and only sleep when neighbors are around to warn them of predators.

Female zebras mature earlier than the males, and a mare may have her first foal by the age of three. Males are not able to breed until the age of five or six. Mares may give birth to one foal every twelve months. She nurses the foal for up to a year. Like horses, zebras are able to stand, walk and suckle shortly after they are born. 

More great pics, below the fold!

Tiergarten Delitzsch has a new mud-loving favorite: a fist-sized Pot-bellied Piglet. Born in late May, the piglet, whose sex is not yet determined, was the only one out of five to survive birth complications. Fortunately, the mother is doing well and is taking good care of her offspring. The week-old piglet has been ransacking mud puddles to its heart's content alongside its parents. 

Photo credits: Tiergarten Delitzsch

See more photos after the fold!

A pair of coatis debuted at Germany’s Tiergarten Delitzsch this week, providing plenty of entertainment for zoo visitors.  After spending the first few months of life secluded in their barn, the baby coatis are just beginning to explore their enclosure.

Zoo keepers have not yet determined the gender of the babies, which are the first to be born at the zoo since the mid-1990s.  This is the first litter for the zoo’s coati pair.

Coatis are native to Central and South America, where they live in a wide range of habitats, from arid grasslands to cold mountainous areas.  Closely related to raccoons, coatis feed on invertebrates, fruit, lizards, and bird eggs.  The long, flexible snout, which can be rotated in any direction, provides impressive sniffing power as coatis forage for food among the leaf litter.

Photo Credits:  Tiergarten Delitzsch