ZooBorns

Baby Rhino Born at Pittsburgh Zoo - the First in Forty-five Years

The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is celebrating some big news! For the first time in over 45 years there, a baby Black Rhinoceros was born to mom Azizi. The female calf weighs about 70 pounds and appears to be doing very well.“We are so excited to welcome a big, beautiful, bouncing, female rhino,” says Dr. Barbara Baker, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. “The birth of a Black Rhino is significant because they are critically endangered and Azizi’s calf will introduce new blood lines into the zoo population.”

There are 4,800 Black Rhinoceroses left in the wild. Between 1970 and 1992, the Black Rhino population decreased by 96% — the most dramatic of all Rhino species. Black Rhino populations are recovering slowly despite intensive efforts to end poaching, the biggest threat to animals worldwide. Mom and baby will not be on exhibit for the public until after they have had the appropriate amount of time to bond, and until the weather and temperature conditions are ideal for this African native. Visitors are asked to check the Zoo’s website and social media sites for details of when baby will be viewable.

Photo Credit: Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium

Keepers noticed Azizi was acting differently last week. She started pacing and appeared uncomfortable. “At one point she put her feet on her water trough and was stretching,” says Dr. Baker.

“Labor lasted roughly 50 minutes with no complications,” says Dr. Ginger Takle, director of animal health. “We wanted to be close in case Azizi should need us, but she did very well for a first time mom. Keepers and zoo veterinary staff monitored the birth nearby, but out of sight to allow for a natural delivery. The baby was nursing within two hours of her birth. Nursing is an important first step in bonding with mom. Calves gain about 30 pounds each week from the nutrients in the mother’s milk.

Dr. Takle added, “It is important for the calf to continue to nurse and gain weight especially during the first three months which are critical. As she continues to grow, we will begin to introduce solid food at about one month of age, starting with alfalfa and sweet potatoes.”

Baby on Deck! Sea Lion Pup Born at Pittsburgh Zoo

It’s a girl! Sea Lion mom Zoey gave birth to her second pup at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium; her first baby is 3-year-old Sidney. “At first Zoey was very protective of the baby,” says Henry Kacprzyk, curator of Kids Kingdom and reptiles. “But after a couple of days, Zoey relaxed enough to let the other sea lion members near. Especially curious were Sidney and Sophie, another young sea lion, who kept trying to get close to the pup but were chased away by mom.”

She weighed in at 18.4 pounds, a healthy weight for a newborn sea lion. “As long as the baby is continuing to nurse and vocalize with mom, we won’t interfere,” says Mr. Kacprzyk. 

In the coming weeks, the pup will learn to swim. “Pups instinctively know to start paddling in the water, but being young, they tire easily and need mom to help out,” says Mr. Kacrpzyk. “Zoey is always right there with the pup and helps if needed. We also put little steps in the pool that the pup can use to get out of the water.”

Photo Credit: Paul A. Selvaggio

Read more about this little pup after the jump:

Newborn Alaskan Sea Otter Finds Safe Haven at Pittsburgh Zoo

The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, working along with the Alaska SeaLife Center, has provided a safe home for a newborn Sea Otter pup found stranded along an Alaskan coastline. He was found lying next to other sea otters, all who had died from exposure when they were cut off from the ocean by a frozen bay; In an attempt to get to the ocean, they accidentally beached themselves off the coast of Port Heiden.

“We told the caregivers how to keep him alive until we could arrive,” said Brett Long, husbandry director at the Alaskan SeaLife Center. The most important concern was to ensure the pup was in a cool environment, that its temperature remained steady, and it received fluids and electrolytes. The residents used a baby bottle filled with Pedialyte, a milk replacer, to feed the pup every couple of hours.

The next milestone for the little pup will be to acclimate to his new environment in Pittsburgh, begin eating solid food, respond to keeper’s cues which will teach him cooperative and husbandry behaviors. These behaviors will allow him to participate in his own care such as voluntary weigh-ins, and presentation of paws and flippers. He will develop his natural instincts as he grows and when he is bigger will be slowly introduced to Alki and Chugach, the Zoo’s current sea otter residents. Visitors are able to see the little pup in a special nursery in the lower level of Water’s Edge.

Photo Credit: Alaska SeaLife Center

Read the full story after the jump:

Orphan Otter Finds New Home in Pittsburgh

Back in March we brought you the story of a young Sea Otter rescued by the residents of Port Heiden, Alaska. Discovered alone on the beach next to his deceased mother, the pup was cared for overnight by concerned citizens, then flown to the Alaska SeaLife Center. One month and one FedEx plane ride later, the pup begins a new life at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium and will go on exhibit next Friday, April 27th. FedEx specializes in transporting animals between zoological institutions safely and comfortably. 

Above photo credits: Alaska SeaLife Center

The next milestone for the little pup will be to acclimate to his new environment in Pittsburgh, begin eating solid food, respond to keeper’s cues which will teach him cooperative and husbandry behaviors. These behaviors will allow him to participate in his own care such as voluntary weigh-ins, and presentation of paws and flippers. He will develop his natural instincts as he grows and when he is bigger will be slowly introduced to Alki and Chugach, the Zoo’s current sea otter residents.

Sea Otter pup arriving in Pittsburgh. Photo courtesy of the Pittsburgh Zoo.

NEW Photos: Welcome to the World Gorilla Baby!

The Pittsburgh Zoo welcomed a new baby gorilla on the morning of February 9. Since giving birth, Mom Moka is often found sitting near the indoor viewing window in the gorilla area holding the baby, offering visitors a fantastic view of their bonding time, as captured in the video below. 

“Moka is a first time mom so we were anxious to see how she would handle motherhood, but she is doing a great job,” says Karen Vacco, assistant curator of mammals. “The baby is nursing and Moka holds him tightly against her chest.” Moka was raised by her mother and has a younger sister, so she learned maternal behavior from her mother.

First time dad Mrithi visited the baby after its birth and has been staying close to Moka, but not interfering. “The rest of the gorilla troop has been curious but respectful,” says Roseann Giambro, gorilla keeper. “They will take their cues from mom who will let them know when she is comfortable with them being close to her baby.”

Western lowland gorillas are endangered. In 2007, scientists had estimated their populations to be just about 100,000 in the wild, but an outbreak of Ebola destroyed much of the population dropping their numbers close to 30,000. 

Photo Credit: Sage Ross, Creative Commons License

Read more after the jump!

Sweet Sea Lion Pup in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is barking with excitement over the birth of their new Sea Lion pup! Callie, a 6-year old California Sea Lion, gave birth to the pup last Friday in a behind-the-scenes area. 

“Both mother and baby are doing very well,” says Henry Kacprzyk, curator of KidsKingdom. “They are communicating and the pup is nursing. Callie is a first-time mom, but she is doing very well. We think that Callie, having watched both Zoey and Maggie with their pups, has learned how to care for her pup. Right now, she is being very protective while and she and the pup rest on the deck. She barks aggressively if she thinks keepers are getting to close,”  Mr. Kacprzyk continued. “The other Sea Lions are keeping a safe distance until Callie is comfortable with them being near her pup.”

Keepers will not interfere with Callie raising her pup unless they suspect the baby isn’t nursing or communicating with mom. The mortality rate for Sea Lion pups is 10 to 15 percent in the first month, so keepers and vet staff are keeping a close eye on mother and baby.

Photo Credit: Pittsburgh Zoo/PPG Aquarium

Tiger Cub Goes from the Hospital to the Kiddie Pool!

In September of 2010 the Pittsburgh Zoo welcomed a litter of little tiger cubs. Shortly thereafter, one of the cubs developed an infection and was hospitalized for weeks as Zoo vets struggled to save her life. Happily, by December the cub was happy and healthy and ready to be reunited with her siblings and mom. Since tiger cubs love to rough-house, keepers wrestled with the little cub to prepare her for the reintroduction. When they put out a tray of water for the active, thirsty cub, she decided to jump right in for more play time.

The “menacing” look on the cub’s face represent typical play behavior that helps prepare wild young cubs for hunting in the wild.  

Rare Amur Tiger Triplets Debut in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium welcomed three little Amur Tiger cubs back in September and they have just made their big public debut! Growing bigger and braver by the day, the trio enjoy exploring their new den and met reporters and a few lucky guests last week. Amur tigers were once called Siberian tigers because originally they were found throughout Siberia. Residents of Siberia and Northern China once considered these majestic cats god-like and in fact the most elite military unit if the Chinese Imperial Army was called the Tiger God Battalion. Unfortunately, throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries these tigers were hunted extensively by livestock owners and as part of a Russian army eradication program. Today they are almost completely confined to the Far East portion of Asia along the Amur River.

Photo credits  ©2010 Paul A. Selvaggio 

Baby Sea Lion Dives Right In

As we have pointed out in the past, Sea Lion pups do not know how to swim at birth and must be taught by mom. Oftentimes the pups are cautious about approaching the water but not this little guy. Not even two weeks old, the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium's newest baby Sea Lion dives right in and bops around, albeit a bit awkwardly. This is the first pup for mother Maggie and only the second at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium, so staff are keeping a watchful eye on the talkative and active pup.

Read more below the fold.

Painted Puppies Go for a Dip

We can't get enough of the Pittsburgh Zoo's Painted Hunting Dogs. Their submissive nature is very much on display in this adorable video as they build up the courage to collectively take a dip. (Note that the sound goes in and out.)

See more of the little guys here and here.