In the overnight hours of Saturday and Sunday, a baby zebra was born at Como Zoo. When the zookeepers arrived Sunday morning they discovered the foal up, walking strong and closely shadowing his mother, Thelma.
The birth of the foal was not a surprise. “Thelma was getting very big, we knew it was a matter of days before her baby would make its appearance” said Allison Jungheim, Senior Zookeeper at Como Zoo. “There were no complications and mother and baby appear to be doing great.”
Baby zebras are something Como Zoo has experience caring for. Just 42 days earlier, on July 27th, another of Como’s zebras named Minnie gave birth to a female named Melee.
Mothers and babies can be seen by the public in the outdoor Zebra and Kudu exhibit daily 10am-6pm.
The gestation period for zebras ranges from 10-12 months. A newborn zebra’s stripes will turn from brown to black sometime between the first 9-18 months of life. Como is home to Grant’s Zebras, which are commonly found in the grassy plains of eastern Africa including the countries of Kenya and Ethiopia.
Father, Ulysses, sired both newborns.
Sponsor the Baby Zebras!
Sponsoring an animal makes a great gift – that keeps giving back. Animal sponsorships are a unique way to help Como Park Zoo and Conservatory with its wildlife conservation efforts. They support enhanced habitats and efforts to maintain the best care possible for the animals, including the zebras, at Como Zoo. To purchase, visit Garden Safari Gifts at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory or call 651-487-8229.
