Tag Archives: Baby Animals

Rescued Manatee Gives Birth

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SeaWorld rescuing manatee

SeaWorld’s Animal Rescue team traveled to Sykes Creek in Merritt Island, Fla., on June 8 to rescue the 10-foot manatee that had severe injuries to the front right flipper caused by a crab pot line.

Back in June, the animal rescue team at SeaWorld Orlando came to the aid of a 10-foot manatee who was injured and caught in a fishing line in Sykes Creek in Merritt Island, Florida. The 1,380-pound manatee was transported to SeaWorld so that veterinarians could treat her injuries.  Her right flipper was severely injured and had to be amputated.

On July 18, the manatee gave birth to a healthy calf.  The baby has been nursing and bonding with its mother in SeaWorld Orlando’s back area pool. The animal team will continue to monitor the pair.

Rescued manatee and calf

Approximately six weeks after her rescue, rescued manatee gives birth to a calf at SeaWorld Orlando on the morning of July 18, 2012.

Rescued manatee and calf

The mother and baby will be monitored by SeaWorld’s animal team while they bond in the back area pool.

Young Zoo Visitor Saves Penguin Egg

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On April 3rd, a baby Humboldt penguin hatched at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington. But as the bird was hatching, a young visitor, around 7-8 years old, spotted a second egg exposed on a cliff within an exhibit. The egg was in danger of being knocked off the cliff or being eaten by a crow or seagull. He informed a zookeeper, who then rushed the egg to a pair of foster parents. The little penguin hatched two days later.

The zoo would like to properly thank the boy for saving the baby penguin.  They ask that you email woodlandparkzoopr@zoo.org if you know the identity of the young hero.

Penguin chick at the Woodland Park Zoo

Penguin chick at the Woodland Park Zoo. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

In the wild, Humboldt penguins live along the coast of Peru and Chile.  They are considered vulnerable of extinction by the IUCN Redlist.  Threats include fishing nets, illegal pet trade, over-exploitation of guano (which the penguins use for nesting), and pollution.

For more info about the Humboldt penguin chicks, see the Woodland Park Zoo blog.

Baby Aardvark at Busch Gardens

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On March 26, Busch Gardens welcomed a new baby aardvark!  The newborn currently weighs 4.8 pounds, but it is estimated to grow more than 120 pounds within its first year.   The baby is being cared for by the animal care team behind the scenes at Jambo Junction.  Check back at Busch Gardens’ Facebook page to find out when the little aardvark will make its public debut.

Baby aardvark at Busch Gardens

Baby aardvark at Busch Gardens

In the wild, aardvarks are solitary and elusive. They inhabit various ecosystems south of the Sahara in Africa, and they feed mainly on ants and termites.  They are adept diggers, capturing their prey underground and creating burrows to rest in during the day.  Because other animals use these burrows for shelter, the aardvark is considered a keystone species.

Baby Giraffe at Busch Gardens

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The first baby giraffe of 2012 was born at Busch Gardens. The female giraffe calf measures 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 176 pounds. She and her mother are currently being monitored by zoo staff. They will rejoin the herd in three months.

Baby giraffe at Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens welcomed a new female giraffe to their herd.

Baby giraffe and mother at Busch Gardens

Slurp! The newborn giraffe gets a nice cleaning by her mother.

Baby giraffe and mother

Just a newborn, the female giraffe measures 6 feet 2 inches tall!

To learn more about giraffes, see Animal Fact Guide’s article: Giraffe.

Amur Tiger Cubs at Toledo Zoo

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Two Amur (or Siberian) tiger cubs and mother Marta went on display at the Toledo Zoo in Ohio. The cubs were born on September 26, 2011.

Amur tigers are the largest subspecies of tiger, averaging  about 3.3 m (11 ft.) in length, with a tail measuring 1 m (3 ft.). Adult male tigers can weigh up to 320 kg (700 lb.), while female tigers are significantly smaller, weighing up to 180 kg (400 lb.).

To learn more about Amur tigers, see Animal Fact Guide’s article Siberian Tiger.

To learn more about the Amur tiger cubs, see NorthwestOhio.com.

New Year Baby Tapir

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Baby Malayan tapir at Tampa zoo

In the wee hours of New Year’s Day, the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa welcomed a new baby Malayan tapir.  The female calf is healthy, weighing about 15 pounds (and gaining).

Baby tapirs have a spotted pattern to help camouflage them from predators. Eventually, the baby’s spotted coat will fade to a solid black and white pattern. In the wild, Malayan tapirs are endangered, inhabiting the rainforests of Southeast Asia.  Their population is threatened by human activity like deforestation and illegal trade.

For more information, see:
WTSP.com
Lowry Park Zoo Facebook page

Baby Animals of 2011

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There were so many adorable baby animals born in 2011.  Here are a few highlights:

Baldest Baby: This baby aardvark was born at Busch Gardens Tampa on April 10, 2011. He was hand-reared by zookeepers because his mother was neglecting him.


Oldest Mother: Five Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoise hatchlings were born on November 15  to a century-old tortoise in a South Carolina zoo after she hid the eggs from zookeepers for months.
Galapagos tortoise hatchling at South Carolina zoo


Best Gremlin Impersonator: The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore welcomed a male baby Coquerel’s sifaka on November 12 and named him Nero. Sifakas are a kind of lemur who move by leaping through trees or side-hopping on the ground.
Baby sifaka at Maryland zoo


Roundest Face: A pair of red pandas were born at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, MA on July 4. In the wild, red pandas inhabit bamboo forests in China, the Himalyas, and Myanmar.
Red panda baby at Boston zoo


Unlikely Friends: An 8-week-old cheetah (born in February) was paired with a 16-week-old yellow lab at Busch Gardens Tampa. The two adolescents became great pals.
Cheetah cub and puppy friends


Most Smiley: A dolphin calf was born on July 26th at SeaWorld Orlando. Here he is bonding with his mother.
Dolphin mother and calf


Whitest Kiwi: Two rare all-white kiwis were born this year at Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Center in New Zealand.  Manukura was born in May and was the first of its kind born in captivity.  Mauriora was born in December. The two white kiwis are North Island brown kiwis who carry a rare white gene. They are not albinos.
White kiwi

Hope you enjoyed our roundup of amazing animal babies of 2011. Happy New Year!

Baby Giraffe at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

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A new female baby giraffe arrived on Tuesday, December 27 at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. The newborn measures 5 feet 7 inches and weighs 127 pounds. She was born to father Jafari and mother Tesa.  Tesa and the calf will be monitored for three months before joining the other free-roaming animals on Busch Gardens’ 65-acre Serengeti Plain habitat.

Baby giraffe at Busch Gardens

Baby Lemur Born at Maryland Zoo

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The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore welcomed a male baby Coquerel’s sifaka on November 12 and named him Nero. At birth, the baby lemur weighed 94 grams, about the weight of a deck of cards. According to Meredith Wagoner, mammal collection and conservation manager, “Sifaka are born with sparse hair and resemble tiny gremlins, however their white hair soon grows in, and they begin to resemble their parents.”

In the wild, Coquerel’s sifaka inhabit the island of Madagascar. They are endangered as a result of habitat loss from deforestation. Sifaka are different from other lemurs in the way they hop through treetops in an upright posture using only their hind legs. They propel themselves on the ground by side-hopping on their hind legs.

To learn more, see the Maryland Zoo website.