Animals Archives : TRAVEL/FOOD

Forget the Kansas City Chiefs. Indianapolis has its own big winner to celebrate today with the arrival of a white rhinoceros calf born at 9:13 a.m. to 19-year-old mother Zenzele. This is the first live-birth rhinoceros calf for the Indianapolis Zoo and Zenzele’s seventh calf.

Rhinoceros care staff began overnight watches early this month when Zenzele started producing milk and showed physical signs of impending labor. “Zenzele is an experienced and confident mom and everything is going very well,” said senior rhinoceros keeper Amber Berndt. Both Zenzele and her calf are doing well, and keepers say Zenzele is relaxed and the calf is content.

“Our Life Sciences team has done a tremendous job. It is a privilege for our Zoo to care for these magnificent animals and advocate for their conservation,” said Dr. Robert Shumaker, Indianapolis Zoo President & CEO.

Zenzele’s calf brings the Zoo’s herd of rhinoceroses to five, including male Spike and females Mambo and Gloria, who is also Zenzele’s grandmother. Both mom and baby will spend time together indoors and will begin introductions with other members of the herd later this spring.

In the wild, rhinoceros populations are threatened by habitat loss and poaching. Four of the five remaining species of rhinoceroses are at risk of extinction, according to the International Rhino Foundation. White rhinos are categorized as near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The Red List status represents the likelihood of a species becoming extinct in the near future.

By visiting zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), guests are helping to save wild rhinos. AZA institutions support field conservation, research, habitat restoration, reduction in human-rhino conflicts and community-based initiatives to protect wild populations. To learn more, go to www.indianapoliszoo.com/exhibits/plains/white-rhinoceros/.

About the Indianapolis Zoo

The Indianapolis Zoo protects nature and inspires people to care for our world. Located in White River State Park downtown, the Indianapolis Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Alliance of Museums as a zoo, aquarium and botanical garden. Visit IndianapolisZoo.com to plan your visit.

Rhino Mom Zenzele

While Lincoln Park Zoo may be temporarily closed for the first extended period in its 152-year history, the zoo remains an urban oasis full of life, with a zebra foal expected this summer and the recent birth of a Diana monkey and two Japanese macaques.

Macaque infant Ozu–Lincoln Park Zoo/Shannon McElmeel

Lincoln Park Zoo is excited to announce that 13-year-old female Grevy’s Zebra Adia is pregnant. This is Adia’s fourth offspring, and her second offspring with 9-year-old sire Wester. The pregnancy is a result of a breeding recommendation from the Grevy’s Zebra Species Survival Plan^® (SSP) that cooperatively manages the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) population. Adia’s progesterone levels, measured by non-invasive fecal samples collected in February and analyzed by the Davee Center for Epidemiology and Endocrinology, as well as a growing abdomen and increased food consumption, indicate Adia is pregnant.

“We are looking forward to welcoming another Grevy’s zebra to the herd, not only because foals are adorable, but because they will be a success story for this endangered species,” said curator Dan Boehm.

Macaque infant Nikko–Lincoln Park Zoo/Gina Sullivan

The foal is expected to arrive in July. Grevy’s zebra are native to eastern Africa and are endangered in the wild due to hunting and habitat loss.

At the other end of the zoo at Regenstein Macaque Forest, the zoo celebrated the birth of two Japanese macaques, also known as snow monkeys. Nara welcomed a female infant named Nikko on March 15, 2020. A few weeks later, Ono gave birth to a male infant named Ozu on April 18, 2020. Both infants are doing well and join the troop of 13 snow monkeys at Regenstein Macaque Forest.

“Infants bring such joy to folks at the zoo and make for a very active macaque troop,” said Curator of Primates Jill Moyse. “While we are disappointed guests can’t visit the troop currently, our essential staff are enjoying the pick-me-up that two curious primate babies bring.”

Diana monkey Cece at Regenstein African Journey welcomed an infant on April 23 as part of the Diana Monkey Species Survival Plan^® (SSP). The infant joins the troop of 4 Diana monkeys and has yet to be sexed or named.

While the zoo is currently closed, guests can see photos and videos of the new zoo babies on the zoo’s blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram channels. For more information about Lincoln Park Zoo, visit lpzoo.org.