Rare Zebra Born At Marwell Zoo

Marwell Zoo is celebrating the birth of an endangered Grevy’s zebra foal.

Grevy’s are the largest zebra species and are found in Northern Kenya and Southern Ethiopia where there are currently thought to be fewer than 2,000 in the wild.

Populations have suffered as a result of habitat loss, extended periods of drought and poaching but are now thought to be stabilising.

In the wild zebras generally give birth at night and first time mum Khumba did exactly that with her new arrival, giving her keepers a lovely surprise when they got to work in the morning.

Khumba and her new foal are part of the European Ex-Situ breeding programme for the species and will hopefully contribute to maintaining a healthy captive population and preserving genetic diversity for the future

They have been left alone to bond for the first few days so the sex of the foal is not yet known.  A name will also be decided at a later date.

Photo: Paul Collins