Be warned, this shortlist has the potential to send you into cuteness overload.
Chester Zoo has compiled an adorable collection of 10 baby animals that were born at the animal attraction during 2014.
From
penguin chicks to newborn zebras, to the birth of the zoo’s first ever
warthogs, take a look at Chester Zoo’s top 10 babies of the year.
1. Merida the Grevy’s zebra foal
A rare Grevy’s zebra
foal, a female named Merida, was born in February – the first of its
kind to be born at the zoo for over 30 years.
Curator of mammals,
Tim Rowlands, said: “Since our female zebras arrived a few years ago we
have worked very hard to breed this highly endangered species and the
arrival of this foal is not only a really good achievement for us but
also good news for the species as a whole.”
The zoo is part of a
European breeding programme for the species which is the largest of all
zebras and distinctive from its cousins given that it has the narrowest
stripes.
2. Jake the Viysayan warty pig
An extremely rare
piglet was born in May.Given that the species boasts spiky, almost
mohawk-like hair style on their heads, mum Viv and dad Sid were named
after punk rockers Vivienne Westwood and Sid Vicious.
And their
new charge was given a title to follow suit – Jake, after Jake Burns
from the band Stiff Little Fingers. Only 200 Visayan warty pigs are
thought to be left in their native habitat in the Philippines – making
them the rarest of all wild pigs.
Keeper Lucy Edwards
said:“Visayan warty pigs are critically endangered and face an extremely
high risk of becoming extinct in the wild.“They’ve suffered a drastic
population crash in recent times with widespread commercial logging,
illegal logging and agricultural expansion devastating vast amounts of
their natural habitat.
"They’re also being over-hunted and their
meat can often command at least double the price of domestic pork in
local markets and some restaurants.“It really is a battle against time
to save them.”
Chester Zoo was the first in the UK to welcome
Visayan warty pigs, a species that gets its name from three pairs of
fleshy warts on the boar’s face. The warts protect them from rival pigs’
tusks during a fight.
3. World Cup penguin chicks
When four Humboldt penguin chicks hatched in April a real poser for keepers was what to call them.
Lead
penguin keeper Karen Neech said:“Choosing names for the chicks is
always tricky but with one eye on this summer’s World Cup in Brazil, we
decided to kick off this year’s football campaign with some stars of our
own.“
Footballers have very strict diets and things are just the
same for our new arrivals. But whereas footballers can look forward to a
protein shake ours grow strong on a diet of regurgitated ‘fish
smoothie’ provided by their parents.”
Step forward Rooney (named
after England forward Wayne), Gerrard (after current England captain
Steven), Banks (after 1966 World Cup winning goalkeeper Gordon) and
Moore (after 1966 World Cup winning captain Bobby).
Steve Rawlins
4. The zoo’s first warthogs
In May, two warthogs also became the first of their kind to be born at the zoo.
The piglets, who at the time stood at just 30cm tall, arrived to first time parents Tamzin and Magnum.
Curator
of mammals, Tim Rowlands, said:“This is the zoo’s first ever warthog
family and so of course we’re absolutely thrilled. “Our tiny piglets are
almost hairless, wrinkly and grey and already have their trademark
protruding warts from which they get their name. Some may not consider
them to be as ‘cute’ as many of the other babies we’ve had born here of
late, but to us, they’re just as special.”
5. Unusual new arrival is a real pretty Polly
Keepers at the zoo provided around-the-clock care to a rare hyacinth macaw chick, named Jesse.
The
baby bird was fed up to nine times a day in a Tupperware tub which
acted as a crib.The species is endangered in the wild where populations
have undergone rapid reductions in recent years due to the illegal pet
trade and habitat loss.
Keeper Karen Neech said: “It’s hard to
believe that our chick will eventually start to spring some beautiful
deep blue feathers – at the moment it looks more like a dinosaur crossed
with a plucked chicken!”Hyacinth macaws are the world’s largest parrot
and are found in Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay.
6. “Little humbug” Zathras
Zookeepers announced the birth of a baby tapir in August.
The
tiny calf - the first male to be born at the zoo for eight years - was
given the name Zathras. Curator of mammals, Tim Rowlands, said: “At the
moment Zathras looks a bit like a little humbug. His brown coat
currently features lots of white stripes and spots which will eventually
disappear as he gets to around six-to-nine months old.
"The
markings act as camouflage in the wild – mimicking speckled sunlight on
the forest floor. He won’t be little for long though as new youngsters
tend to double their weight in the first 14-21 days alone.”
The
zoo is a keen supporter of a conservation initiative which has been
finding out valuable information about behaviour patterns and movements
of tapirs in several key areas of Brazil.
It is hoped this
research will help safeguard the future of the fascinating species which
is increasingly hunted for its meat and for its hide, which is used to
make sandals.
7. Baby meerkats
A number of baby meerkats arrived mob-handed with litters born in April and August.
Team
manager Dave White said:“All of the pups are full of rough and tumble.
They’re a real handful for mum, dad and the other adults in the mob who,
between them, are doing their best to keep them in check.
Steve Rawlins
8. Lasola the anoa calf
A ‘devilish’ new arrival was
born at the zoo on October 22. The rare anoa calf – the world’s smallest
species of wild cattle – arrived after a 282 day pregnancy for first
time mum, Oana.
Keepers named the new female youngster, Lasola.
Anoa live in forests and swamps on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi but
are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN), with just 2,500 mature individuals estimated to remain.
Assistant
curator of mammals, Dr Nick Davis, said: “In the wild they’ve been
given the unfair tag as being ‘demons’ of the forest. As a result
they’re persecuted by farmers who hold them responsible for damage to
their cattle.
“Take one look at our new calf and it’s impossible
to see how anyone could label or harm them in such a way – they’re a
very shy and secretive animal.”
Steve Rawlins
9. Sand lizards bred at the zoo return to sand dunes
Rare
lizards, which were believed to have gone extinct in Wales around 60
years ago, were released on sand dunes in the north of the country in a
bid to boost struggling populations. The sand lizards - an endangered UK
species - were bred at a number of specialist breeding centres,
including the zoo, during the summer.
The captive breeding and reintroduction programme is helping the lizards to make a comeback in Talacre, North Wales.
Herpetology
keeper Ruth Smith said:“Sand lizards are the UK’s rarest lizard and
populations in some areas are so low that we can’t just rely on
protecting the site, we have to help breed them to boost their numbers.“
"This
year we’ve reintroduced 31 juvenile lizards to the wild - a record for
the zoo so we’re really pleased. Slowly and surely we’re getting them
back into areas where historically they used to live.”
10. Gentle lemur birth is a first for zoo
A wide-eyed
lemur marked yet another first for the zoo when it arrived in June. The
new youngster – an Alaotran gentle lemur - arrived to mum Molly and dad
Fady.
Curator of mammals, Tim Rowlands, said:“This is a
critically endangered species that is faced with a very real threat of
extinction in the wild. This is the first time the species has ever bred
at Chester Zoo and so we’re thrilled.”
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