Louisville Zoo welcomes baby zebra

Photo courtesy of Louisville Zoo.

The Louisville Zoo has announced a female foal was born on Thursday, May 12, 2022, from 6-year-old Hartmann’s mountain zebra, Azizi. The baby is currently unnamed, but the zoo plans to determine its name soon.

According to an organizational release,¹ the filly weighed 71 lbs at the neonatal exam and was considered strong and healthy. Guests can view the duo who are doing well and frolicking and engaging with the rest of the zebra herd in the Africa zone.

There have been other births and pregnancies recently at Louisville Zoo. Earlier in May, it honored the first harbor seal birth in its history. Plus, zoo staff are monitoring Masai giraffe Kianga who is expected to give birth to a calf soon. Updates will be offered on all 3 mothers and their children as part of Zoo Babies presented by Norton Children’s.

“We are ecstatic to have so much to celebrate this spring. These new offspring will be wonderful ambassadors to tell the stories of their species,” said Dan Maloney, Louisville zoo director, in the release.¹ “We look forward to watching this new filly grow with our community and sharing news about our pending giraffe birth.”

Hartmann’s mountain zebras reside in dry, stony mountains and semideserts of southwest Africa and western Angola. Each zebra has a unique stripe patterns, thus it is easier for members of a herd to recognize one another but more challenging for their primary predator, the lion, to single one out.¹ The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has listed them as vulnerable.

Reference

Louisville Zoo zebra Azizi welcomes foal. News release. Louisville Zoo. May 18, 2022. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://louisvillezoo.org/2022-05-18-louisville-zoo-zebra-azizi-welcomes-foal