Baby Boom Leads to Full House at Nashville Zoo

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: October 28, 2021 12:35 pm

A caracal kitten is being cared by keepers at the Nashville Zoo in Tennessee

Photo Credit: Bailey Kelly/ Nashville Zoo

Nashville Zoo have a full house at their HCA Healthcare Veterinary Center. Vets at the the zoo are caring for four new arrivals all born this fall. Visitors to the zoo may meet the new arrivals in the neonatal care rooms at the zoo’s veterinary center.

First are a pair of caracal kittens born at the zoo on October 17th 2021. The parents of the pair live behind the scenes and the twins are being hand-reared by the zoo’s veterinary team.

Nashville Zoo now provide a home for eight caracals. Two breeding pairs are held behind the scenes. Guests visiting the zoo may meet Zain and Samir who are part of the zoo’s ambassador animal program.

A Palawan binturong is being cared by keepers at the Nashville Zoo in Tennessee

Photo Credit: Bailey Kelly/ Nashville Zoo

A male Palawan binturong infant is also under the care of the veterinary team. He is just over 3 weeks old and has graduated from the incubator to a playpen. The parents of this kit are held behind the board.

Binturongs, also known as bearcats are known for the urine which smells like buttered popcorn.

Nashville Zoo form part of the Palawan Binturong Species Survival Plan (SSP), an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) program to maintain healthy and self-sustaining captive populations.

They are working to save this vulnerable species.

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Finally Vinnie a male banded palm civet is being cared for vets. Now two months old he is most often seen napping as he is nocturnal. Once fully weaned Vinnie will form part of the ambassador animal team. Recently he has begun the transition from milk to solid food.

Vinnie’s parents are held behind the scene.

A banded palm civet is being cared by keepers at the Nashville Zoo in Tennessee

Photo Credit: Nashville Zoo

You can keep up with the cuteness of the new arrival’s by visiting the nursery window at the zoo’s veterinary center. The caracal kittens are also the current stars of the News2 Nursery Cam – Caracal Cam

Learn more about Caracals here – Caracal Fact File | The Animal Facts

Learn more about Binturongs here – Binturong Fact File | The Animal Facts

Learn more about the Nashville Zoo on their website – Nashville Zoo