ZooBorns

Britain's Bush Baby Twins

Keepers at Scotland's Edinburgh Zoo are celebrating the birth of their first female bushbaby to a breeding pair they received in 2005. The little girl also has a twin male sibling. Born January 5th, the Mohol bushbabies just reached an age when they could be examined by keepers without undue stress, so it was not until this week that zoo vets confirmed the babies' genders.

 

Photo Credits: RZSS

March of the Baby Penguin

Spoiler Alert: plot elements from the film Happy Feet revealed below! ;) Keepers at The U.K.'s Edinburgh Zoo are celebrating the arrival of a King Penguin chick. The chick, which is almost two months old, is the first King Penguin to be born at the Zoo in five years.

King penguins lay one egg per breeding season and, instead of keeping it on a nest, the parents tuck the egg under their belly and rest it on their feet. The parents take turns to look after the egg and gently roll it between them to transfer it. After 56 days the eggs will hatch. Newly hatched chicks stay on the parent’s feet for the first month.

Read on for more pics and a video...

Leishan is One Happy Hippo

Keepers at the Edinburgh Zoo are celebrating the birth of a pygmy hippopotamus. Leishan, whose name means ‘gift’ in West African, was born on June 9th. She is the offspring of Ellen and Otto and is the first baby for this new breeding pair.

 

Photo credits: Alan Thomson

Mischievous Maned Wolf Cubs

The Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland welcomed four Maned Wolf cubs in March which are just now starting to venture out of the den. The first two pictures were taken more recently and the second two show the tiny cubs in their den, albeit a bit unclearly. Thanks to Lesley4444 for sharing.

Although often called a "red fox on stilts," the Maned Wolf is not closely related to any other living canid (dogs and wolves, foxes, and related species). Their long legs help them see over tall grasses in their native South America. 

Mom in all her long-legged glory.

Baby Tapir Indah Romps at the Edinburgh Zoo

Tapirs and Scotland seem like a funny combination to us but the Edinburgh Zoo is getting a name for itself after its female, Sayang, and her hubby gave birth to their second baby in as many years. Malaysian tapirs are endangered on their native islands and every zoo birth helps researchers learn more about protecting these stripy little guys.

Indah sports a striking hide which would help camoflage her from predators in the wild.

Enjoying a good romp