Reid Park Zoo Welcomes

Adorable Zebra Foal

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: July 9, 20209:00 pm

Photo Credit: Reid Park Zoo

Reid Park Zoo in Arizona, USA has celebrated the addition of a Grevy’s zebra foal to their family. The foal was born on July 4th to mum Anna and father Ben.

Anna, 7 and Ben, 18 are both first-time parents and have proven to be attentive parents. Within an hour of his birth the male foal had gotten to his feet and was nursing from mum.

“We are excited about the foal’s arrival, as he adds to the other African species born this spring at the Zoo including our 5 meerkat pups and elephant calf, Penzi,” said Dr. Sue Tygielski, Director of Zoo Operations. “It is fascinating to watch each mother and how they manage their offspring. Anna is a patient and attentive mom,” said Tygielski. The foal is beginning to have bursts where he runs a few steps but Anna is always nearby to watch him.

The foal has been born as part of the  Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan. It was through this plan that Anna and Ben came together for breeding. They were introduced and it was love at first sight with breeding behavior quickly seen.

Photo Credit: Reid Park Zoo

The foal has been born as part of the  Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan. It was through this plan that Anna and Ben came together for breeding. They were introduced and it was love at first sight with breeding behavior quickly seen.

In the wild one of the first things foals learn is the stripe pattern of their mother. Each zebra has a unique stripe pattern and this allows them to find their mother in the herd. They also use sound and smell to keep close to her.

Grevy’s zebra are the largest species of zebra. They are endangered with less than 2,000 estimated to remain in Africa.

To protect against the spread of Covid-19 Reid Park Zoo is currently closed. You can keep up with the growth of the foal as part of the virtual zoo being hosted on the Reid Park Zoo Website.

Learn more about zebras here – Zebra | The Animal Facts

Learn more about Reid Park Zoo on their website – Reid Park Zoo