Brookfield Zoo Chicago Celebrates Birth of Grevy's Zebra
and Anticipates Another Foal this Summer
Brookfield, Ill. — Brookfield Zoo Chicago is delighted to announce the birth of a male Grevy’s zebra foal, born in the early evening on July 27. Thriving under the attentive care of his 8-year-old mother, Nyota, guests can catch a glimpse of the young zebra in one of the outdoor habitats on the north side of the park.
The unnamed foal, weighing nearly 75 pounds, is a significant addition to the population of Grevy’s zebras housed in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). This birth is the result of a recommended pairing of Nyota and the foal’s sire, 6-year-old Diesel, by AZA’s Grevy’s Zebra Species Survival Plan (SSP), which aims to maintain a genetically diverse and demographically stable population. Currently, there are 142 Grevy’s zebras at 32 accredited North American zoos. And, one more will be added to that total when Mypa, a 14-year-old Grevy’s zebra also at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, gives birth to her foal this summer too.
Joan Daniels, associate vice president of animal care and conservation, expressed her excitement about the new addition and the anticipated second birth.
"We are overjoyed to welcome this new Grevy’s zebra foal," said Daniels. "Each birth is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our animal care team and our commitment to the conservation of endangered species."
Daniels also highlighted the importance of the Zoo's breeding programs.
"The arrival of this foal and a second zebra birth expected soon, demonstrates the success of the Grevy’s Zebra Species Survival Plan. It is crucial that we continue these efforts to ensure a genetically diverse and sustainable population," Daniels added.
The average gestation for Grevy’s zebras is just over 400 days (about 13.6 months). A foal is able to stand within 15 minutes after being born and can walk and run within the first hour. Zebra foals are born with a unique wooly coat of light chocolate or russet stripes, which are darker on the head, neck, and legs. A distinctive bushy mane runs from just behind the ears to the tail and down the midline of the belly. By the age of 5 months, the foal’s coat will transition to the more familiar adult pattern of short hair and black stripes. Each zebra's stripe pattern is as unique as human fingerprints.
The Grevy’s zebra is classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List, and is also listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species and Fauna (CITES), which protects the species from illegal trading. The Grevy’s Zebra Trust estimates the current population is just over 3,000 individuals, a dramatic decline from the global population of approximately 15,000 in the late 1970s. Its range is now confined to central and northern Kenya and southern and a small area of north-eastern Ethiopia. The rapid decline in the 1970s was due to hunting for the zebras’ skin; a total hunting ban went into effect in 1977. But, new threats have arisen since then and now the Grevy’s zebra is threatened by habitat degradation, reduction in water sources, infrastructure development, disease, and poaching. Over the years, Brookfield Zoo Chicago has supported the Grevy’s Zebra Trust’s conservation efforts to help save the species.
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Photo Captions (credit: Jim Schulz/Brookfield Zoo Chicago)
4452, 4547, 4575, 4585, 4586, 4596, 4605: A male Grevy's zebra foal was born at Brookfield Zoo Chicago on July 27. He can be seen with his 8-year-old mother, Nyota, on the north side of the park.
About Brookfield Zoo Chicago
Celebrating 90 years as a global leader in animal well-being and conservation, Brookfield Zoo Chicago inspires conservation leadership by igniting emotional connections for people with wildlife and nature, locally and globally. The Zoo is a private nonprofit organization that operates on 235 acres of land owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County and is home to more than 3,500 animals representing over 500 species, including many of Earth’s most endangered. Brookfield Zoo Chicago was the first zoo in the world to be awarded the Humane Certified™ certification mark for the care and welfare of its animals, is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums and ArbNet. For more information, visit www.brookfieldzoo.org.