Take a Baby Animal Safari at Los Angeles Zoo - Giraffe, Takin, Markhors, Goral and Others

By Elizabeth Leider 

Los Angeles, CA - This summer the Los Angeles Zoo is full of proud parents! The flurry of births here at the L.A. Zoo kicked off on April 5, 2009, with the birth of a male Masai giraffe. He is currently in the giraffe habitat with his parents, Neema and Artimus.

On May 5, the first Tadjik markhor twins, a brother and sister, were born. Within a month, these twins were joined by a second set of markhors, also a male and female, born on May 29. Visitors can see these boisterous markhors, an endangered species of wild goat native to Asia, alongside their parents in the markhor exhibit.

May 19 brought the birth of a male central Chinese goral, a type of endangered goat native to the steep slopes of the east-central China mountains. In the wild, gorals do not have to compete with fellow ungulates (hooved mammals), because gorals can navigate and survive in areas that are unsuitable for most other ungulates. Their natural predators include the red dog, leopard, lynx and tiger. Their status would be more secure if they were protected from humans who hunt them for sport and food. The Zoo’s youngster is on exhibit with its parents.

Also born on May 19 were two female red river hogs. Red river hogs, one of the smallest species of pigs, hail from sub-Saharan Africa. The red river hog is often described as the prettiest of the “wild swine,” with red hair, a black and white face mask and a white mane reaching from neck to tail. Visit these rambunctious piglets at the Zoo’s nursery.

May 25 saw the hatching of the first greater flamingo chick this year. Less than a month later, on June 16, this chick was joined by a second! The greater flamingo is the largest of the six species of flamingo. This species is found in freshwater and saline habitats throughout parts of southern Europe, Africa and southern Asia. Check out the flamingo chicks in the Zoo’s aviary.

June 2009 births saw the birth of a male gerenuk on June 4. Gerenuk, a medium sized gazelle whose name means “giraffe-necked” in Somali, are native to East Africa. Stop by the nursery to catch a glimpse of this fledgling!

Two babirusa, one male and one female, were born on June 15. Babirusa, a subspecies of the pig family, live on the Sulawesi, Togian and Baru Islands of Indonesia. The natives say that the tusks are like the antlers of a deer, hence the name babirusa, which means “hog-deer” in Malay.

When the L.A. Zoo imported a pair of babirusas from Europe in 1984, they were the first babirusa admitted to this country in more than 40 years!

Rounding out the June births was the birth of a female Japanese serow on June 20. Japanese serows, a species of goat, roam the mountain forests of Japan. In 1955, serows were declared a “Special Natural Monument,” which gives them complete protection against hunting and capture.

The L.A. Zoo was the first zoo in the Western Hemisphere to receive Japanese serow from Japan. They arrived at the Zoo in 1976 as a Bicentennial present from L.A.’s sister city of Nagoya, Japan. These gracious climbers can be found in their Zoo habitat along the perimeter road.

A first for the L.A. Zoo is the birth of a female Sichuan takin, born on July 3, 2009!

Though takin may look like a combination of various animals: the snout of a moose, horns of a cow, tail of a bear, body of a buffalo and a mountain goat’s feet and agility, takins actually belong to a group of animals called goat-antelope. This group also includes domestic sheep and goats.

In China takin share a mountain habitat with the giant panda, which has proven beneficial for the takin’s preservation. Pandas are an “umbrella species,” which means that protecting panda habitats also safeguards the other animals that share their habitats. Like the panda, the takin is considered a treasure in its native land and is protected by the Chinese government. The newest addition to the Zoo’s takin herd is wandering the exhibit with its parents!

Precocial from the start, seven newborn rock hyraxes are running around and exploring the exhibit they share with their parents! The first litter of four hyraxes was born on July 11, and a day later, on July 12, three more babies followed suit!

Although the hyrax has a rodent-like appearance, their DNA proves that they are the closest living relative to the largest land mammal, the elephant. However, the hyrax’s stature is of a completely different nature than that of the elephant. When full grown, male Asian elephants can reach a height of about 11 feet and weigh from three to six tons; while rock hyraxes grow to a length of 17 to 21 inches and weigh between four and 12 pounds!

The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is located in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways. Admission is $13 for adults and $8 for children ages 2 to 12. The Zoo is open from
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For information, call (323) 644-4200 or visit the L. A. Zoo Web site at www.lazoo.org.

To view Los Angeles Zoo’s web on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to: http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-7-Los_Angeles_Zoo_&_Botanical_Gardens