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Dozens of animals have been born at
Johannesburg Zoo over the past breeding season, giving kudos to its animal
welfare projects.
MORE than 26 babies have been born at the Johannesburg
Zoo in recent months, signalling a milestone for the reserve, which prides
itself on every birth.
It's a lazy day at the Joburg Zoo for the baby buffalo
The births also contribute to scientific
research, education, recreation and conservation. Of the recent ones, two are particularly
noteworthy - that of a Cape buffalo and of an nyala, born on 17 and 19 May,
respectively.
Other newborns include six flamingo chicks,
six bushbucks, four female sable antelopes, a waterbuck, a West African pygmy goat,
an axis deer, a scarlet ibis, a common barn owl, a scimitar-horned oryx, an
African porcupine and a pintail Bahama, which is a species of duck.
According to Letta Madlala, the zoo's brand
and communications manager, the staff members are "very excited and protective"
of the newborns. "Their excitement stems from the fact that the new births will
increase the zoo's animal collection [since] zoos are no longer allowed to
acquire animals from the wild and are expected to maintain their collections
without the introduction of animals caught in the wild."
Members of the public can visit the zoo to
see most of "our bubbling, healthy babies and should look out for the white
flags outside the enclosures that house babies", she adds.
Dr Michelle Barrows, a senior veterinarian
at the zoo, notes that the reserve tries to enhance ways in which its animals
give birth by providing nesting material, privacy and a secure space. "There
are instances where females require assistance to deliver babies; however, this
year has been an excellent one as none of the births have required our help," she
explains.
Deddou Burkhard, a volunteer in the zoo's
education and marketing department, adds: "Most of the mammals give birth
during the night or just before sunrise in a hidden place inside their
enclosures, and zoo keepers usually find the newborns in the morning."
A special highlight was the birth of twin
Nyala lambs - an uncommon occurrence both in the wild and in captivity.
"Unfortunately, despite all efforts to resuscitate, only one was strong enough
to survive," she says.
Appearance
Some babies look quite different from their parents, Burkhard notes. For
example, the flamingo and scarlet ibis chicks are white and grey. "Both species
only develop their distinctive bright colour over time."
The zoo surrounds
To see the newborns in the bushbuck and nyala
enclosures, visitors might have to peep inside the huts as the babies stay
inside the shelter and "only leave it once they are no longer dependent on
their mother's milk and start grazing".
She says spotting the porcupine baby in the
outside enclosure also might be difficult, as the zoo's group of eight
porcupines is only active during the night. "However, you can find them in the
back of their enclosure in the night room, sleeping. Most of what is known
about the reproduction of porcupines comes from individuals kept in captivity."
Burkhard says the gestation period for
porcupines takes on average 66 days. At birth, the baby weighs between 500 and
900 grams, which is about three percent of the mother's weight. "After a week
they leave the den and their spines begin to harden."
African porcupines take about two years to reach
adult body mass and weight. The gender of the baby porcupine is still unknown;
it will only be discovered later when the baby has its first check-up at the
zoo hospital.
The baby scimitar-horned oryx, which has a
white coat and a russet neck and chest. When it is fully grown, it will
have a wide reddish nose strip and its facial mask will consist of vertical
russet stripes which cross through the eyes.
Its two fragile scimitar horns, which are
prone to breaking and can grow up to 125 centimetres, are its most distinctive
feature.
Oryx are adapted to the desert and can go
for long periods - possibly months - without drinking water because of its
specialised kidney, which helps prevent excess loss of water through urine.
Expecting
Burkhard notes that even though the breeding season is almost over, the zoo is still
expecting the births of a scimitar-horned oryx, sitatungas and bushbucks in the
next months, "and hopefully a wattled crane chick". Wattled cranes are an
endangered species and the zoo is part of a breeding programme to increase the
number of these animals.
Most of the breeding encouraged at the zoo
is of endangered species, animals that need conservation, and of rare animals.
The recent births will contribute towards conservation, scientific research and
education and will gauge the success of the zoo's conservation efforts, notes
Madlala.
Burkhard says that one of the Joburg zoo's
aims is to inspire people to appreciate wildlife by becoming an educational and
recreational facility for all to enjoy. "We especially place importance on four
key pillars: conservation, recreation, education and research."
The maintenance of animals is a huge task,
which is why the zoo has plenty of personnel. Their primary focus is to ensure
the wellbeing of all animals through direct bathing and feeding. Each enclosure
is custom-built to meet the needs of its residents, from food and shelter to
enrichment and perfect health.
Horticulture and technical teams care for
the physical environment and ensure that the reserve is an attractive and safe
environment for animals and visitors alike. Its kitchen is open on a full-time
basis; here a wide range of diets is prepared, ensuring that the best
ingredients are available to feed the variety of animals appropriately.
Hospital
There is also a veterinary hospital with two full-time vets and nurses to deal
with any health hazards; the zoo's chief executive, Stephen van der Spuy, is a
qualified vet who actively alternates his roles.
The zoo hospital
"The zoo places emphasis on ensuring a high
standard of animal care and welfare, including nutrition, enrichment, husbandry
and medical care," Burkhard says.
"Breeding is a sign of good health, as reproduction
forms a significant part of an animal's natural behaviour," Madlala adds.
The Joburg Zoo tries to concentrate on its
breeding efforts and programmes, especially regarding indigenous and endangered
species, which need specific conservation efforts. It also protects those species
that are on the brink of extinction.
It warns that many animal species are under
threat from habitat destruction and need sufficient resources to survive, prompting
its involvement in numerous conservation projects. These include the Joburg Zoo
South African Frog Project, Amphibian Conservation Project, Spectacled Bear,
Emperor Tamarin and Red-bellied Lemur International Co-operative Breeding Programme,
and Wattled Crane Recovery Programme.
Crane
The wattled crane programme entails rescuing abandoned cranes and breeding
them, and then costume rearing the young. Like humans, cranes are dependent on
wetlands; through promoting their conservation, the zoo plays a pivotal role in
encouraging safe environmental practices, environmental education and the sustainable
use of natural resources for the benefit of all.
And the success of its breeding programmes
means that the reserve is playing its role as a surrogate parent effectively
and efficiently. Effective breeding is seen as a measure to gauge the comfort
and happiness of animals.
Together with the Jane Goodall Institute
and the University of the Witwatersrand, the
zoo is also part of a conservation research project on chimpanzees. It is also
a part of the International Species Information System (ISIS), a computer-based
system for keeping tabs on wild animal species held in captivity. More than 600
institutions in 54 countries are part of it.
There are also other projects on the go:
monitoring and breeding of ground hornbills, research on African rock pythons
and the studying of animal behaviour. Many university and technology students
use the Joburg zoo as a resource to do animal observation studies and studies
of particular species regarding feeding, reproductive habits and behaviour
enrichment.
Spread across 54 hectares, the Johannesburg
Zoo is surrogate parent to more than 2 000 animals belonging to 365 species.
For more information visit the zoo on Upper Park Drive in leafy Forest Town,
click on the Johannesburg Zoo website
or call the reserve on 011 646 2000.
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