Monarto Safari Park Welcomes Spring Baby Boom

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: November 6, 2020 1:10 pm

The zebra calf with the herd at Monarto Safari Park

Photo Credit: Geoff Brooks/Monarto Safari Park

Keepers at Monarto Safari Park in South Australia are being kept on their toes as spring brings a number of new arrivals.

In recent weeks keepers have celebrated the arrival of a pair of spotted hyena cubs, a zebra foal and a giraffe calf.

Mum forest gave birth to twin spotted hyena cubs on Tuesday morning. “When we arrived at work on Tuesday morning Forest was not visible in her yard,” said keeper Kat Ferres. “We checked the den camera and could see that she had given birth to twins overnight and that all was looking good.

“Since Tuesday,13-year-old Forest has been spending the majority of the time in her den just as she would in the wild. Forest has been doing a great job looking after her cubs – we have seen the cubs suckling and we’ve also seen her bring out the cubs to introduce them to Dad, Gamba,” added Kat.

The spotted hyena cubs in their den with mum

Photo Credit: Monarto Safari Park

The cubs are being raised in a den which mimics the dirt burrows in which spotted hyenas raise their cubs in the wild.

Spotted hyenas live in a range of habitats across Africa. They are highly misunderstood with many seeing them solely as scavengers though they are actually highly effective hunters with 95% of their kills being successful.

They live in complex societies known as a clan where the females are the boss. These may include up to 80 members.

LJ the duiker calf explores the paddock with mum, Flower

Photo Credit: Geoff Brooks/Monarto Safari Park

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Elsewhere at Monarto the zebra herd has welcomed a new foal. Mum Thembela and dad Storm welcomed their male foal on October 16th. Currently the calf is off display with the rest of his herd. Soon they will move to the new expansion known as Wild Africa at Monarto Safari Park.

“The little zebra foal is very lively,” said Kat. “He likes to run around and also enjoys a good roll in the grass.”

Approximately 150,000-200,000 plains zebras can be found on the savannas of Africa.

The last arrival was a giraffe calf born on Wednesday to mum, Myeisha. He was born on exhibit in the waterhole habitat. The calf is being monitored by keepers to ensure that it is well.

While being one of the world’s most well known mammals the giraffe is considered vulnerable to extinction with just 80,000 remaining in the wild. Their population is shrinking due to habitat destruction, road construction and removal of their food trees.