NEWBORNS always bring joy to their families, and the Johannesburg Zoo is no exception. Nearly every year, its population increases with hundreds of new babies boosting the numbers of its 380 animal species.

Although a birth always brings excitement, Dominic Moss says that the zoo is not as concerned with how many animals are born, as what animals are born.

Moss, who is a curator of carnivores, notes that since the beginning of 2007, there have been some significant births at the reserve. He lists those of a pygmy hippo, a giraffe, a wattled crane, a chimpanzee, a red-bellied lemur and a margay.

“The animals that have perhaps bred the most since the inception of last year are our indigenous frogs, which are all part of a very intensive indigenous frog project that we have started at the zoo,” he explains.

About 200 animals have been born at the Joburg zoo since the start of 2007; this means that the reserve is taking good care of its animals while making sure that they are “healthy and happy”. “Being happy, healthy, safe and strong is important for all animals at the zoo and along with enrichment we try to make them [feel] as comfortable as possible.”

Noteworthy births
Of late, there have been two particularly noteworthy births, that of a serval cat on 17 November and a pygmy hippo on 27 November 2007. “Staff at the Johannesburg Zoo are excited,” says Sandra Hlungwani, the public relations and marketing officer.

Breeding is a sign that the animals are comfortable and happy. “The zoo has a record of births and is always proud and delighted about the addition of these animals to its family, and we welcome them with excitement,” explains Giving Navasa, a zookeeper.

Serval cats are born blind, but within two weeks the little kitten had opened its eyes to take in its new home. The zoo now boasts three serval cats, including the newborn’s parents. “This is one of the three species referred to as small- to medium-sized cats,” Navasa says.

Serval cats are nocturnal, and are rarely spotted during the day, particularly as their colours camouflage them well. “It is one of the reasons why much of the species’ lifestyle remains a mystery,” Navasa points out.

Nocturnal cat

However, despite being nocturnal, it doesn’t hibernate and is not afraid of daytime visitors. “Visitors can expect to learn how the kitten survives, what it eats and how it interacts with people and its own breed.”

Serval cats are often confused with cheetahs, yet there are some traits that can help to distinguish the two, Navasa notes. A serval cat’s body is longer than its tail, which is not the case with cheetahs. It is much larger than a domestic cat with long legs, a long neck and a small head. It feeds on frogs, birds, reptiles and other mammals.

Navasa points out that there are no identical serval cats and each one can be uniquely identified by its markings. “The tail has black rings on it and the body’s underparts are usually light in colour, ranging from white to tan.”

The public can view the kitten, which is based at the zoo’s small cats section, “depending on when the mother and child want to venture out into the open”.

Conservation projects
Because many animals are under threat from habitat destruction and need sufficient resources to survive, the Joburg zoo is involved in a number of ambitious conservation projects, including the Wattled Crane Recovery Programme and the Joburg Zoo South African Frog Project.

Moss explains that the zoo tries to concentrate on its breeding efforts, especially regarding indigenous and endangered species, which need specific conservation efforts. “We try to make any birthing process as painless and stress free as possible,” he says.

“We don’t concentrate as much on the number of births as opposed to what we are breeding and how healthy the offspring are. It would be easy to breed hundreds of rabbits, but this would take time and recourses when we do not need lots of rabbits. We would rather use our time and energy to breed something like a wattled crane.”

Breeding needs
The zoo does, however, try to enhance the ways in which its animals give birth. For example, Moss says, margays like a long sloping tunnel into a darkened breeding chamber. “So when a margay has her babies we build her a special breeding box.”

It provides all animals with nesting material as well as privacy and a secure area in which to give birth.

Pygmy hippo

Joburg Zoo welcomed its first male pygmy hippo calf

Joburg zoo has also welcomed its first male pygmy hippo calf. The calf has a very dark grey matte colouring, finished with a few pink spots around its ears and mouth. “In appearance, he may be a baby only a mother can love, but he’s cute in his own way. He has four toes [claws] on each foot and his skin is wrinkled,” notes Hlungwani.

The healthy pygmy hippo was born in the early hours of the morning, “much to the relief of the keepers and veterinary staff who were in attendance”.

There are only two pygmy hippos on show at the zoo, and births are rare. “The gestation period for pygmy hippos is from 184 to 204 days. Looking just like a miniature version of mom, the baby is rapidly bulking up.”

Hlungwani says that the mother is very protective of the youngster, “who seems to be quite adventurous”.

The public can visit the calf at the pygmy hippo enclosure, although there is a limited schedule. Pygmy hippos are threatened with extinction in the wild and are only found in West Africa. They can weight up to 275 kilograms and are very shy creatures, mostly nocturnal and almost always found near water. Hippos are also known as “river horses”.

Warning
“The [zoo’s] animals are very exciting because they run around and are not shy to be seen by the public,” Navasa says. However, he warns that they are irritated by bad behaviour. “The public should avoid silly antics like knocking on the enclosures’ windows”, because this scares the animals.

The maintenance of animals is a huge task, but the zoo has plenty of personnel. “We also try to cater for the specific needs of specific species.” The horticulture and technical teams care for the physical environment and make sure that the zoo is an attractive and safe environment for both animals and visitors.

Its animal collection team looks after the animals directly by cleaning, feeding and enriching them. A full-time kitchen prepares a wide range of diets, ensuring that the best ingredients are available to feed all animals appropriately. The zoo also has a veterinary hospital with two full-time vets and nurses to deal with any health hazards.

There is also a mobile Zoo-To-You programme which takes the zoo to disadvantaged schools and hospices. The programme is designed to bring living animals like snakes, hedgehogs and birds to destitute children and the physically challenged. Costs vary according to group size and location of the venue.

The zoo has more than 2 070 animals belonging to 380 species, and is built on 54 hectares of land; it is on Jan Smuts Avenue in leafy Parkview. For more information call Sandra Hlungwani, the public relations and marketing officer, on 011 646 2000 ext 225 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Related stories:

• Johannesburg Zoo
• Keeping Joburg's pets healthy
• A day in the life of a zookeeper
• Joburg zoo makes learning fun