Koalas, a dik-dik and lazy bears: these are new baby animals at the San Diego Zoo

Spring is approaching and a safe sign of the season is the new babies of the San Diego zoo which venture outside the den and jet in the pocket of mom for the first time.

The zoo recently announced the births of various animals, many of which are threatened or threatened in the wild. Some of these births are also a positive sign for the survival plan for San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance species – a program that manages farming and ensures genetic diversity – for some animals.

Gaylene Thomas, head of wildlife care at the San Diego zoo, oversees two teams that take care of a variety of species, including leopards, tigers, hippopotams, giraffes, deer, giant pandas and red pandas. Among these animals, there are also some of the most recent babies in the zoo: twin laziness bears and two Koala Joeys.

“I see guests with much more patience when they are housing,” said Thomas about excitement around newborn animals. “Especially when young people are in a state where you could just see the leg before Joey or the little nose. People are ready to be patient and wait for this opportunity to get an overview. »»

Thomas said these tiny animal ambassadors play a particular role by drawing public attention to the conservation efforts of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance for threatened animal species.

“After 38 years of being here, I am still stunned and excited,” she said about new best children.

Thomas explained that the various babies offer visitors a window on the development and adaptations of these creatures.

For zoo environmentalists, they are able to know more about these populations and how to protect them. A The example is the Koala retrovirusA condition that all koalas are born in nature and managed care, that scientists are trying to better understand.

“Everything is connected,” said Thomas. “I think that when you start with newborns, it is a kind of initial capture of attention and appreciation. It is the fauna to almost its most vulnerable state when you see a newborn animal and this interest with our guests, this arouses curiosity, which can lead to commitment and understanding and, hopefully, to action for this individual. »»

In addition, to put it clearly, Quentin Vanhose, specialist in senior fauna, said what we all think: “Babies are just cute.” And it is precious when connection with the wider community.

Vanhoose, who works with large sabotaged animals such as giraffes, rhinoceros and antelopes of the Safari Park from San Diego Zoo in Escondido, said these babies on the ground help to disseminate the conservation message, especially for less known species. An example is the Bongo, an antelope from sub -Saharan Africa, who has just added a baby named Banjo to the Safari Park.

“Most baby animals, as for babies, have exaggerated characteristics, such as big eyes and small noses,” he said. “Or with the Bongo, ears larger than the rest of their bodies and these long legs. And people are immediately attracted to animals as babies. »»

If you plan a trip to see some of these adorable animal ambassadors, here are three of the babies we spotted during a recent trip to the San Diego zoo:

Lazy bear

The brothers and sisters were born from the first mother, Shala, December 6. After a few months of connection in their private den, the Cubs recently started to venture in February.

Lazy bear – which are not really linked to slow lazy – are a threatened species from dry meadows and forests in South Asia and India. The improper term is attributed to their long thick claws and unusual teeth. Thomas said that some of the adaptations that allow them to eat insects lacked incisors on the upper jaw and the ability to close their nostrils.

In particular, lazy bears are the only bears that carry their young people on their backs. The mother’s shaggy hair gives cubs something to grasp.

The greatest threats of the lazy bear are the encroachment of habitat and illegal hunting in their native environment.

Although this is not a guarantee, the best time to see them is usually in the morning, said Thomas. This habitat is at the bottom of the hill, on Upper Center Street and to the left of the restaurant called Sydney’s Grill. The laziness bear are in the second habitat, just after the Andean bear, and it is the only bear habitat in this street with a reticulated net enclosure.

Koala Joey

There are currently two Joeys at the San Diego zoo, but only one of them has been officially announced. Koala Adori’s mother welcomed a woman Joey named Inala who started to get out of her pocket in February.

As Marsupiaux, koalas were born roughly the size of a large frost and spend six to seven months developing and treating inside the mother’s cover. After this time, the baby will start to emerge from the pocket and start sample the eucalyptus, said Thomas.

You may need to pack your patience when visiting these creatures in the air. The Koalas are known to sleep about 18 to 22 hours a day, rarely moving or moving from their covered position. This makes the identification of a baby difficult because the pocket is located in the mother’s stomach area where humans have a navel.

If you want to see the Koalas, they are not far from the habitat of the lazy bear; It is to the right of Sydney Grill. The San Diego Zoo has the largest Koalas population outside Australia. So be sure to find the right perches to locate a baby. The simplest tip: male koalas are kept solo in individual sections, while female koalas are grouped in a community. You can find the Koala Joeys and the Moms next to the Koala Care Center and a panel that has all the names of the female Koalas.

Newborn dik-dik

The most recent baby of the San Diego zoo is a small African antelope called Dik-Dik, born at the end of February.

Native habitat for dik-dik are arid brushes and vegetation for protection. Their name reflects the repetitive alarm sound they make when the predators are close. In addition to various predators, the greatest threat to this species is hunting for humans and the encroachment of habitat.

If you are fortunate to spot these little creatures at the San Diego zoo, look carefully at their unique muzzle. The Dik-Dik has a long and flexible nose that moves back and forth while it breathes.

Although this youngster is not always visible in public housing, he will certainly not be far from his mother. This little family – mom, dad and baby – is in the Odyssey section of elephants, between the habitats of the lion and elephants, on the right side of the park. It’s a bit of a walk from other babies, but it is not far from the other stars of the zoo: the giant pandas.

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