Rhino Calf Born at Dublin Zoo

Dublin Zoo is delighted to announce the birth of a Southern white rhinoceros calf. The female calf, born on January 2nd to mother Nyala, is estimated to weigh approximately 50kg.

The calf joins her father, Chaka, and half-brother, Fionn, as the newest member of the seven-strong herd, also known as a crash, in Dublin Zoo’s African Savanna.

The yet-to-be-named youngster is Nyala’s second calf and the birth marks another significant success for Dublin Zoo as part of the European Endangered Species Programme, established to assist with the survival of the Southern white rhinoceros.

Endangered Okapi Born at Dublin Zoo

Male calf the second child of Lumara and Kitabu

Dublin Zoo is celebrating the arrival of a male okapi calf. The baby was born in the early morning of Thursday the 7th of July to parents Lumara (7y) and Kitabu (14y). Standing just 20 minutes after being born and suckling within hours, the baby is in excellent health, and he has been growing steadily in the past month.

Rothschild Giraffe Born at Dublin Zoo

Dublin Zoo is celebrating the birth of a male Rothschild Giraffe. The calf was born October 25^th and stands tall at 1.5 meters (5 feet) and weighs an estimated 45 kg (99 lbs.).

The giraffe calf made his first outside appearance in the Dublin Zoo’s African Savanna at four-days-old. He joins a herd of eight Rothschild Giraffes at Dublin Zoo.

Photo Credits: Dublin Zoo

Team leader at Dublin Zoo, Helen Clarke-Bennett said, “The calf was born in the giraffe house with the other female members of the herd present. The team watched the birth unfold on our closed circuit cameras. The birth took over an hour and we noticed that the herd was very attentive each step of the way. We’re very excited about this addition to the Dublin Zoo herd.”

The Rothschild Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi), also known as the Baringo Giraffe, is one of the most threatened of the nine sub-species of giraffe. It is named after the Tring Museum’s founder, Walter Rothschild.

All individuals living in the wild are in protected areas in Kenya and Uganda. The Rothschild Giraffe is at risk of hybridization and is currently classified as “Endangered” on the IUCN Red List.

The Rothschild Giraffe is distinguishable from other subspecies because of its coloring. Where as the Reticulated Giraffe has very defined dark patches with bright channels between, the Rothschild has paler, orange-brown patches that are less defined. Also, the Rothschild has no markings on the lower leg.

This subspecies mate any time of year and have a gestation period of 14 to 16 months, typically giving birth to a single calf. They prefer to live in small herds, with adult males and females only mixing for mating. Males are larger than females and tend to be darker in color.

Third Elephant Calf Born at Dublin Zoo

There is even more good news from Dublin Zoo with the announcement of the arrival of a third Asian Elephant calf! The healthy female calf was born to mother Bernhardine at 11.45 pm on September 17^th, weighing in at 68kg (150 lbs).

Photo Credits: Patrick Bolger

This is the third elephant calf to be born at Dublin Zoo within a 10 week period. The first calf, Kavi, was born to mother Yasmin on July 17^th, followed closely by Ashoka, named after one of India’s greatest emperors, born to mother Anak on August 19^th.

Paul O’Donoghue, Assistant Director at Dublin Zoo said, “Our latest arrival is a wonderful addition to our breeding herd of Asian Elephants. It was a very quick and calm birth and Bernhardine’s daughter Asha (7 years old) stayed with her throughout. The calf was standing within ten minutes and has been suckling really well. Bernhardine is the oldest female and the herd’s matriarch. She is an experienced mother, and this is her fourth calf. It is just incredible for us to be announcing the birth of three Asian Elephants in the space of ten weeks.  It is an extraordinary achievement for the animal care team here at Dublin Zoo who is very proud of the expanding herd and of the significance of these births for the future of endangered Asian Elephants”.

The Asian Elephant is currently classified as “Endangered” on the IUCN Red List. The pre-eminent threats to Asian Elephants today are loss, degradation and fragmentation of habitat, leading in turn to increasing conflicts between humans and elephants. They are poached for ivory and a variety of other products including meat and leather.

A naming competition will be hosted on Dublin Zoo’s Facebook page, and the Zoo is calling on the public to suggest a name for the latest arrival based on its Asian origins.

More great photos below the fold!

Dublin Zoo's New Mane Man

Dublin Zoo is excited to announce the arrival of an Asian Lion cub!  The male cub was born to mother, Zuri, and dad, Kumar, who arrived, last year, to Dublin Zoo from Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands.

Photo Credits: Patrick Bolger

Also know as the Indian Lion, the entire wild population of the Asian Lion can be found in the Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Western Gujarat, India.  Although, the lion was on the brink of extinction some 40 years ago, with wild population estimates at less than 200 individuals, the Asian Lion remains on the endangered list.  There are only estimated to be between 300 and 400 individuals in India. The birth of this Asian Lion cub is very significant for Dublin Zoo and the international breeding programme for this critically endangered species. 

According to the animal care team at Dublin Zoo, the lion cub is bonding well with his parents, first time mum Zuri and experienced dad Kumar.

Team leader Ciaran McMahon said, “We're thrilled about the arrival of the cub. He has a wonderfully playful and curious personality. It's lovely to see Zuri taking to her role as a new mum so well, and Kumar is as cool and calm as ever. At two months old, he now weighs an estimated 6.6kg (14.5 lbs).”

McMahon also said, “In the past, Dublin Zoo was very successful breeding African Lions. It is now of great conservation importance for zoos to maintain a viable population of critically endangered Asian Lions.”

See more photos below the fold.

Rothschild Giraffe Calf Bonds with Mom at Dublin Zoo

Dublin Zoo in Ireland is celebrating the birth of a male Rothschild Giraffe, born on May 7. The yet unnamed calf stands tall at five feet seven inches (1.7 m) and weighs an estimated 150 pounds (70 kg). He was born to experienced parents Maeve and Robin, and joins a herd of eight giraffes at Dublin Zoo. 

The successful birth of this calf is wonderful news as the Rothschild Giraffe is one of the most threatened subspecies of giraffe. 

Photo credit: Patrick Bolger / Dublin Zoo

With only a few hundred left in the wild, Rothschild Giraffes (also known as the Baringo Giraffe or the Ugandan Giraffe) are close to meeting the International Union for Conservation of Nature's threshold as Critically Endangered. According the to The Rothschild's Giraffe Project, fewer than 670 individuals remain in the the wild today, in 13 small populations in Uganda and Kenya. They are threatened by poaching and habitat loss. 

Rothschild Giraffes can be identified by their slightly jagged and more lightly colored spot pattern, and by their light, unmarked legs below the knees. 

See more photos after the fold.

Help Name Dublin Zoo's Red Panda Twins!

Dublin Zoo's twin Red Panda cubs, born on July 14, are just starting to venture outside of their den at thee months old. The thriving cubs have a very strong bond with their parents, Angelina and Chota. The twins, one male and one female, weighed approximately .3 pounds (150 grams) at birth, but are growing steadily.

Team Leader Eddie O’Brien says, “Red pandas are endangered in the wild so we are over the moon that this is the third litter born to Angelina and Chota. The cubs are both doing very well and getting more adventurous and confident.”

Dublin Zoo is hosting a naming contest for the pair on their FaceBook page. They are looking for names that celebrate the Red Panda's Asian origin. To submit your ideas, just post a comment here. 

Photo credits: Patrick Bolger / Dublin Zoo

Red Pandas are not closely related to Giant Pandas; rather, they belong in their own unique group that is more closely related to weasels. They are native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. Fully grown, they are slightly larger than domestic cats. Red Pandas spend most of their time in trees, eating a variety of fruits, leaves and eggs. Their long bushy tails are excellent for balance, and also serve as a cozy wrap-around scarf for the Red Panda in cold weather. They also have fur on the soles of their feet to prevent them from slipping on wet branches. 

Although protected throughout most of their range, Red Pandas are threatened by poaching and habitat loss. They have been classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Species; it is estimated that there are fewer than 10,000 adult Red Pandas.

Dublin Zoo Celebrates the Birth of Two White Crowned Mangabeys

There's a lot of excitement at the Dublin Zoo's primate department. Two White Crowned Mangabeys were born just two weeks apart, one male and one female.  On April 5, expectant mother Malull gave birth to a male who the keepers named Jomoro, after the western region of Ghana, home to a majority of the world’s population of this rare species. Ten days later, mother Mangabey Monifa gave birth to a female who the keepers named Awiane, the capital of the Jomoro district. The half brother and sister were both sired by the dominant male Danzo.

White Crowned Mangabeys are Endangered in the wild and their numbers are rapidly declining. Dublin Zoo is one of twelve zoos in Europe participating in a breeding program and has a very successful breeding record.

Photo Credit: Dublin Zoo

Helen Clarke-Bennet, team leader of the African Plains exhibit says, “We’re delighted with the arrival of two Mangabeys, which brings the Dublin Zoo troop of these elegant monkeys up to eight. Jomoro and Awiane are thriving and get on very well as brother and sister. It’s a joy to watch them being playful together.

The new arrivals can be seen out and about with their family in the African Plains today.

See more pictures after the fold:

Help Name Dublin Zoo's Brazilian Tapir Calf

Dublin Zoo is celebrating the birth of a Brazilian Tapir! The male calf, born on July 1 to mom Rio and dad Marmaduke, is the breeding pair’s second calf. He has an older brother, Marmaduke Junior or "MJ", who was born at Dublin Zoo in June 2012. Dublin Zoo is inviting people to suggest names for the male Tapir calf based on his Brazilian origin. You can submit your suggestions through the zoo's Facebook page. 

“We are delighted with the birth of the Tapir calf," says team leader Eddie O’Brien. "He is already getting on really well with his older brother MJ, who is very protective of him. The calf was up and about quickly after he was born; he is already more adventurous than his older brother was at his age!”

Photo Credits: Dublin Zoo

See and read more after the fold!

Romping Rhino Calf Arrives at Dublin Zoo

Dublin Zoo is celebrating one of its most exciting arrivals of 2013: a male Southern White Rhinoceros calf. The calf, who is yet to be named, was born to mother Ashanti on April 26 and weighs approximately 110 pounds (50 kg). 

Photo Credit:  Dublin Zoo

The newborn is Ashanti’s third calf and is another significant success for the European Endangered Species Programme established to assist the survival of the near threatened Southern White Rhinoceros.

Scientists estimate that only 20,000 Southern White Rhinos exist in the wilds of South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.  They have been reintroduced into some areas where they had been eliminated.  The most significant threat to Rhinos is poaching:  Rhinos are killed for their horns, which are used in traditional medicine.

See more photos of the Dublin Zoo's Rhino calf below the fold.