Page 7 - Gateways_2019_SPRING

Zoo Family Growth Spurt Clockwise from upper left: An infant squirrel
monkey with its mother, a dik-dik calf, mongoose
BABIES Spring is baby season for many wildlife pups, a binturong cub, and a wombat joey. Keep
your eye out for some of these babies on your next
species, and it’s no different here at Brookfield trip to the zoo.
Zoo—it’s time for a baby boom! On your next
trip to the zoo, keep your eye out for a miniature-size version
of some of your favorite animal residents.
Tulum and Lupito giant anteaters are expecting their third
offspring together. With giant anteaters listed as vulnerable by
the International Union for Conversation of Nature, primarily
due to habitat loss and illegal poaching, each baby born
at Brookfield Zoo is critical to the species’
survival. Visit Tropic World: South America and see if you
can spot a well-camouflaged baby riding on Tulum’s back.
Australia also has its own bundle of joy: we are the experts
in southern hairy-nosed wombat care and breeding, and
once again, we’ve added a wombat joey to our ranks. Staff
expect the joey to emerge from its mother’s pouch soon.
And a new baby dik-dik was successfully hand-reared by
staff (animal care specialists agree a dik-dik baby’s best chance
for survival is being hand-raised by care staff, so we made sure
to provide this calf with the best care possible). He will be on
exhibit in Habitat Africa! The Savannah this spring. A new female
dwarf mongoose has also arrived, and staff are hoping to see
mongoose pups soon, also at Habitat Africa! The Savannah.
Make sure to stay tuned for updates about a possible baby
pangolin. Breeding the world’s most trafficked mammal is
no easy feat, but with the guidance of veterinary specialists,
we hope to have a successful pangolin birth this spring.
We’re sure to see more babies as the season continues,
so keep your eye out for more newborn news.

BROOKFIELD ZOO | SPRING 2019 7