ZooBorns

Wallaby Twins! A Rare and Welcome Surprise For Blackpool Zoo

Keepers at Blackpool Zoo in the UK thought they were seeing double when they spotted an extremely rare set of Red-necked Wallaby twins! The two tiny joeys, which were first noticed by specialist keepers at the zoo a week ago, belong to a three-year-old Red-necked wallaby mom. They will remain in her pouch for around ten months, after which they will be officially recognised as being ‘born’.

Multiple births are so infrequent that the zoo’s Animal Manager, Peter Dillingham, has never personally witnessed twins sharing one pouch during his 39 year career. Although Peter has heard of twins a couple of times in the almost four decades he's been working with these animals, he has never actually seen any. They are thought to be the only ones in the UK and Europe at this time.

He said: “It is absolutely fantastic to finally see twins in one pouch and it has caused a real stir amongst staff and visitors here in Blackpool Zoo. It isn’t uncommon for wallabies to be pregnant and caring for two other ‘joeys’ at a time, one out of the pouch, one in the pouch. As soon as the one inside the pouch leaves another jelly bean sized baby makes its way through the birth canal and latches onto an internal teat until it is big enough to be seen.But to have two at the same time is very rare and we are looking forward to seeing them grow over the coming months.”

Photo Credit: Blackpool Zoo

Read more about Blackpool Zoo's wallabys after the jump:

Father's Day Foal Born at Blackpool Zoo

Danny the miniature donkey, Blackpool Zoo’s resident stallion, has become a father just in time to celebrate the national day of recognition for dearest dads! A tiny female foal, who has been named Leah by keepers, was born to mom Charlene on June 11.The birth was uncomplicated, with no intervention from staff needed. She is the first baby to be born in the Zoo’s brand new Children’s Farm and is already a huge hit with the public. One look and you can see why!

Charlene and Leah (below) are currently housed their own separate area but will be introduced back into the herd very soon. For the first three months Leah will feed exclusively from her mother, although she will start picking at and exploring grass and hay in the coming weeks. She will be fully weaned at around six months.

The birth brings the number of Mediterranean miniature donkeys to six with the others being Amanda, Emma, the foal’s older sister Eliza and, of course mother Charlene and father Danny.

Jude Rothwell, Marketing and PR Co-ordinator at Blackpool Zoo, UK, said: “We are delighted to welcome the adorable little Leah to our herd. We have a long and successful history of breeding Mediterranean miniature donkeys and have been keeping them here at the zoo since 1998." Jude adds, "Anyone treating their dad to a Father’s Day trip to the zoo should certainly head down to the Children’s Farm to see just how cute she is!”

Photo Credit: Blackpool Zoo

Hailing from Sicily and Sardinia, the Mediterranean miniature donkey is almost extinct in the wild in their native land, though breeding programs have been very successful in the United States. When fully grown they at stand at between 30 and 36 inches tall.

 

 

Blackpool Zoo Earns Its Stripes

Ecstatic keepers at Blackpool Zoo have really earned their stripes after becoming the first UK team to successfully breed a Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra in the last nine years. The foal is also the first of its species to arrive in the whole of Europe in 2011, with just 12 born around the globe in 2010. Named Tebogo, a South African name which means ‘we are thankful’, by keepers, he takes the number of Hartmann’s Mountain Zebras in captivity in the UK to 14.

Photo credits: Blackpool Zoo

That's One Clean Paw!

Four of the world’s smallest otters have been born and successfully reared at the UK's Blackpool Zoo for the first time in its history. The quartet of Asian Small Clawed Otters are now out and about after spending their first two months being cared for in the holt by their mother. When they are born, they weigh around 50g, are toothless, practically immobile and their eyes are still closed. Once their eyes open, usually at around 40 days, they begin to venture out and explore their surroundings. Classified as vulnerable in the wild, the species hails from the mangrove swamps and freshwater wetlands of Bangladesh, Burma, India, southern China, Taiwan, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Photographer Claire Copley caught these candid shot of one of the pups doing some thorough paw cleaning.

That's better...

Blackpool Otter Time

This trio of 9-week-old Asian Small-Clawed Otters pups was photographed yesterday at the UK's Blackpool Zoo by photographer khandog.  This species forms monogamous pairs for life and young pups like these are fully weaned only at 14 months - that's a lot of baby otter time! Is that a yawn in the last picture or just munching on otter kibble?

Otterly Soaked

Photos taken yesterday by Lolls Marshall at the UK's Blackpool Zoo turn up the dial on one of the most coveted ZooBorns in our lineup: the baby Asian Small-clawed Otter. It might come as a surprise but otter pups don't know how to swim at birth, so mom must pay careful attention to each pup, training it for the aquatic life ahead. These little guys have clearly taken their first plunge although their expressions suggest that they have mixed feelings about being wet.

Mom appears excited about the progress..

Photo Credits: Lolls Marshal

Back-to-Back Beginnings at Blackpool Zoo

We have been sitting on some great news from the UK's Blackpool Zoo. On May 7th, the zoo's Western Lowland Gorilla 'Miliki' gave birth to a bouncing baby boy! This exciting news came just one day after the birth of a Pileated Gibbon.  Both species are endangered in the wild, and so these births are significant to worldwide conservation efforts, as well as to Blackpool Zoo.

Photo Credits: Blackpool Zoo

First Lion Cubs in 25 Years for Blackpool Zoo

Three little female lion cubs were welcomed at the Blackpool Zoo in April and just unveiled to the media this week. Born to lioness "Gillian," the little girls mark the first lion birth at the Zoo in 25 years. 

Looking ferocious

According to the Blackpool Zoo, “Gillian is a brilliant mother and is looking after her cubs and keeping them out of mischief!  The cubs are very cute and really fun loving and playful.”

Happy Hallzooween!

While babies are our specialty, we just couldn't resist the Halloween Spirit, and hope you'll enjoy the furry (and-sometimes-not-so-furry!) festivities going on at zoos around the world this week...

Read on and see who else has a taste for pumpkin this year!