A female zebra at Utah’s Hogle Zoo welcomed an 87-pound bundle of joy last month, and starting Monday, visitors can now get a look at the new male foal as it interacts with its mother.
“We look forward to sharing our new addition with other children and parents and educating and connecting guests to the importance of preserving zebras in the wild,” Bob Cisneros, associate director of animal care at Hogle Zoo, said in a statement Monday.
The yet-to-be-named baby zebra was born around 3 a.m. on July 23 to Poppy — a 5-year-old Hartmann’s mountain zebra — after a year-long pregnancy.
According to animal keepers, who observed the birth via camera, the foal was hitting “healthy milestones” within an hour of being born, including nursing, standing on its own and walking.
Within seven hours, it was exhibiting small gallops known as “zoomies,” which is a “natural behavior for babies in the wild who must quickly be on the move from predators after birth,” a Monday news release said.
Guests can see Poppy and the new foal in the zoo’s African Savanna exhibit.
To get a chance to name the baby zebra, visit stripes2022.givesmart.com and enter a public online auction, which will be open through Aug. 5. The winning bidder will get to name the foal, receive a special meet-and-greet with Poppy and her new baby, and get breakfast for four at the zoo.
Harmann’s mountain zebras are currently considered vulnerable, with less than 9,000 left in the wild.
