Brookfield Zoo Chicago welcomes zebra foal
CHICAGO (CBS) — A cute new addition to Brookfield Zoo Chicago arrived over the weekend, and now the public can catch its first glimpse of an adorable male Grevy zebra foal.
On Saturday, he was born to his eight-year-old mother, Nyota, and weighed in at 75 lbs. According to the zoo, visitors can see him on the park's north side in one of its outdoor habitats.
"We are overjoyed to welcome this new Grevy's zebra foal; each birth is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our animal care team and our commitment to the conservation of endangered species," said Joan Daniels, associate vice president of animal care and conservation.
The foal will have some company, as a 14-year-old Grevy's zebra is expected to give birth later this summer.
"The arrival of this foal and a second zebra birth expected soon demonstrates the success of the Grevy's Zebra Species Survival Plan. It is crucial that we continue these efforts to ensure a genetically diverse and sustainable population," Daniels said.
According to the zoo, Grevy's Zebra Trust estimates the population is just over 3,000. That number dramatically declined from the global population of around 15,000 in the late 1970s. Zebras are found in central and northern Kenya, as well as in southern and a small area of northeastern Ethiopia.
A foal can stand within 15 minutes after being born. It can also walk and run within its first hour. They're born with a "unique wooly coat of light chocolate or russet stripes, which are darker on the head, neck, and legs. A distinctive bushy mane runs from just behind the ears to the tail and down the midline of the belly," according to the zoo.
By the time it's five months old, its coat will sport more familiar short hair and black stripes. The zoo said, "Each zebra's stripe pattern is as unique as human fingerprints."
