ZooBorns

Meet Burrowing Owlets Linford and Christie

News from the UK's Longleat Safari & Adventure Park: A pair of tiny hand-reared baby Burrowing Owls have taken to using teacups to roost in during the day. The owlets, nicknamed Linford and Christie (as they were hatched in the year of the London Olympics), are being cared for by keeper Jimmy Robinson. 

They hatched at the Hawk Conservancy Trust in Andover six weeks ago in February in an incubator and have had to be hand reared now. “Basically I have had to have them with me 24 hours a day every day and that means taking them home with me in the evening and getting up in the middle of the night to feed them,” Jimmy said, adding, “I spend so much time with them they do look at me as their surrogate mom and will follow me around the house or sit on my shoulder. They also enjoy the security of sitting inside their teacups and like to find small spaces on my bookshelf and in between my DVD collection to snuggle up into."

Found throughout the Americas, the burrowing owl is so named because itlives in underground burrows that have been dug out by small mammals such asprairie dogs and ground squirrels. Unlike most owls they are active during the day.

Photo Credit: Longleat Safari & Adventure Park

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Visitors Witness Rare Giant Anteater Birth

Visitors to Longleat Safari & Adventure Park in Wiltshire, UK had an unexpected surprise when they witnessed the arrival of a rare baby Giant Anteater. Choccy, as he’s been nicknamed by keepers, made his unscheduled appearance on March 9 in front of a stunned audience of onlookers. The tiny anteater’s arrival is particularly welcome as the species is officially listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

For the first six months mom Maroni will carry Choccy on her back virtually all the time. The baby takes milk by moving around underneath her and only very rarely lets go. The baby aligns itself to the pattern on mom's back to provide camouflage from any predators who might prey on the young. It’s so effective that it’s almost as if the baby become invisible.

Giant Anteaters originate from South America and can be found in tropical and deciduous forests. As its name suggests the giant anteater is the largest of the anteater family and can grow to over two metres in length with tongues that extend to more than 60cm. Their long nose, tongue and sharp claws enable them to get to into ant and termite mounds, eating over 30,000 insects in a single day!

Photo Credit: Longleat Safari & Adventure Park 

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Rare Camel Baby Gets Kisses from Mom

It's little wonder this doting mum can't get enough of her newborn - as he's one of the most endangered animals in the world. But like all children, the adorable baby Camel preferred to squirm in embarrassment and duck out of the way of his mother's sloppy kisses. The critically endangered Camel, named Lemmy, was too slow and got a loving smacker right on his hairy head. Little Lemmy is one of the newest Bactrian Camels to be born at Longleat Safari Park, to mum Bhali, 13, and dad Khan, nine. He was born weighing a hefty 65 lbs after a gestation period of 13 months, and is now busy exploring his large enclosure at the park. Now one month old, Lemmy is one of eight Bactrian Camels at the park - and is the first to be born at Longleat in two years.

Photo credits: BNPS

Baby Otter Swim Lessons at Longleat

Longleat's two baby Asian Small-clawed Otters are being taught to swim in a paddling pool - by the keeper they think is their mum.  Deputy Head of Section at Animal Adventure, Beverley Allen, is rearing the pups and has bottle-fed the cute pair since they were born. The pair, named Sumalee and Kasem, are now being taught to swim ready to return to their birth parents. As Beverley explains "I started off putting them in the sink with a little bit of water when they were about nine weeks old. Then they progressed to my bath, where I could make the water a bit deeper to let them practice their breathing. Now they're splashing around quite happily in a paddling pool, with a few toys to encourage them to play." Baby otters need to be taught to swim, so while they might look a little surprised int he first half of the video, it's for their own good!

Photo credits: Longleat Safari Park

You can see pictures and video of these pups when they were just a few days old in this post from September.

Endangered Giraffes Born at Longleat

The latest species to be added to the "red list" of endangered animals has received a major boost after three baby Rothschild Giraffes have been born at Longleat Safari Park in August. All three Giraffe calves are doing well and can be seen enjoying their new surrounding within the East African Reserve. The first baby to be born has been named Kaiser, a male Rothschild Giraffe and the first to be born to dad, Doto, who was only introduced to the Longleat giraffe ladies in early summer 2009. This young chap measured in at a whopping six foot at birth and is already dwarfing many of his fellow residents in this popular Wiltshire attraction.

 

Photo Credits: Longleat Safari Park

Walking, Hopping, Bouncing Mara Twins!

England's Longleat Safari Park has two perky new additions. Patagonian Mara, also known as Patagonian Cavies, are a giant relative of the Guinea Pig and are native to South America. Parents Bernie and Bernice have only been at Longleat for a year and staff are absolutely delighted with the birth of the twins. Maras mate for life, and can deliver between 1 and 3 offspring each year. Mara babies are very well developed, and will start grazing within 24 hours. There is a whole range of gaits for this animal from walking to hopping like a rabbit or bouncing on all fours! Adults can leap to nearly 6 feet despite only reaching about 18 inches in height themselves!

Photo Credits: BNPS

Playing Mom for Two Otter Pups

Longleat Safari Park in the UK is delighted to announce the birth of two otter pups although contrary to normal Longleat practice, the pups are being totally hand reared as human intervention became necessary to save the tiny two. Deputy Head of Section, Beverley Allen, took up the role of mum to the intrepid pups. “We try and maintain a hands off approach with any newborn at Longleat as nine times out of ten, mum is the best bet” explained Beverley. “We soon realized however that mum, Rosie, was just not producing enough milk and we’d have to step in to save their young lives”.

“I have to admit that being full time mum to two pups is pretty hard work. I’m feeding them by hand every 3½ hours on artificial puppy rearing milk, which is the next best thing to mum’s milk. 

“They are now around four weeks old and their eyes should be opening in the next week or so. They’re completely helpless at the moment and are entirely reliant on me to look after them."

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Longleat Safari Park Wallaby All Wrapped Up

We are taking you back to earlier this Spring to visit this charming Wallaby from Longleat Safari Park in Wilthshire, England. This little one, called a joey, seems to have a good plan for staying warm in any season. If winter's settling in where you are, take his lead and bundle up!

Longleat has had a great record with births over the last few years with baby giraffe, camel and lion cubs to name but a few.

Camera Shy Wolf Gives Birth

Born in April of this year, Longleat Safari Park keepers were thrilled when Freda the wolf gave birth to a litter of five healthy pups. This is Freda's third litter but her first inside of the custom birthing den keepers created for her. Although this den was available for the first and second litters, it was not until keepers removed the small digital camera inside that Freda felt comfortable enough to use it.

 

 

 

Sea Lion Pups Emerge at Longleat Safari Park

This summer Longleat Safari Park saw the birth of two sea lion pups. One of the few collections of California sea lions outside of the United States, Longleat now bosts eight boisterous sea lions.