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Baby zebra born at Hamilton Zoo

Wednesday 23 January 2013, 1:15PM

By Hamilton City Council

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HAMILTON

Always wanted to see a baby zebra? Well here’s your chance at Hamilton Zoo!

Hamilton Zoo is celebrating the birth of a baby Zebra who was born two days ago on Monday 21 January.

Yet to be named, the male foal was born early Monday morning. He is the first zebra to be born at Hamilton Zoo since 30 November 2011.

The foal is the fourth for mother Marble (nine years) who was born in Hamilton Zoo in 2003 and the 11th for father Bwana (eight years) who was born in 2004 at Adelaide Zoo and imported to Hamilton in 2005.

Yesterday’s birth takes the number of zebra at Hamilton Zoo to a total of seven, including three males and four females.

Both mother and foal are doing well and Zoo Keeper, Louise van der Sande, is very excited about the new addition to the Hamilton Zoo team.

“The foal is doing really great! He’s healthy and is walking and drinking from his mother. Like horses, zebras are highly sociable animals so our new zebra is already enjoying exploring his new home and meeting the other animals.”

There are around 20 zebras held in New Zealand.

If you want to check out the cute new addition then make sure you come along to Hamilton Zoo and say hello. He can be found in the savannah enclosure along with the giraffes and antelopes.

To visit Hamilton Zoo:
183 Brymer Road,
RD9, Hamilton.
www.hamiltonzoo.co.nz

Did you know?

  • A baby male zebra is called a colt and a female is called a filly.
  • Zebras seem to recognise individuals by sight (no two stripe patterns are the same), smell and sound.
  • Zebras communicate with each other in high pitched barks and whinnies
  • Plains zebras live in groups, known as 'harems', consisting of one stallion with up to six mares and their foals.