The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is celebrating a baby boom in the Zoo’s Heart of Africa region.
Three dama gazelle calves—the rarest of all gazelles—were born throughout January and February, and they are thriving, thanks to additional support provided by the Zoo’s expert care team.
The Zoo’s Newest Arrivals
Marking the first birth of the year, a female calf was born on January 21, 2023 to first-time mother, Kix. During the calf’s wellness exam the next day, the Animal Care and Animal Health teams noted that her temperature was a bit higher than normal. As a precaution and to help fight off a possible infection, she received a catheter and was treated with antibiotics, plasma, and meloxicam. After three days, her labwork was normal and treatment was discontinued. Kix has remained an attentive mother throughout the process, and her calf is doing very well.
On January 31, 2023, experienced mother, Susie, welcomed her female calf with sire, Zultan. As with any new arrival, the Animal Care team was closely monitoring them and became concerned when the calf was not observed nursing overnight. When the region’s curator stepped in with a bottle to ensure that the calf received proper nutrition, the calf latched quickly to the bottle and, within the same feeding session, finally began nursing from her mother. After also receiving a catheter for a couple of days to ensure she remained healthy due to her slow start in feeding, the Heart of Africa team is happy to report that the calf is quite playful and spunky. In fact, she’s taking after her mother, whose full name is “Susie Cruise” because she was very active when she was a young calf and liked to run.
Rounding out the herd’s latest arrivals is a male calf, who was born on February 7, 2023 to mother, Raisin, and father, Kabili, who also sired Kix’s calf. While the calf did not having any issues nursing, the care team observed him occasionally splaying, which could potentially result in more serious risks later. As a proactive measure, the team used a “hobble” system on his back legs to help provide support and stabilization while he built his strength. After a few days, the system was removed, and he has since been active, strong, and healthy.
“Since Heart of Africa opened in 2014, we’ve welcomed 14 dama gazelle calves, and every birth is special and important to the survival of this rare species,” said Shannon Borders, curator of the Columbus Zoo’s Heart of Africa region. “While the dama can weigh up to 165 pounds and is the largest of all gazelle species, the small calves sometimes require additional care and medical attention when they’re first born. We’re proud of the dedication and expertise of our care teams, who stepped in to help ensure that the calves have what they need for their health and overall wellbeing. Already, they’re almost as fast as the adults, and guests will soon have the opportunity to learn more about the species while observing them on our savanna.”
The three calves have not yet been named and continue to bond with their mothers and one another in a behind-the-scenes area of the Heart of Africa region at the Zoo. On nicer days, the calves and their mothers have access to yards adjacent to their barns. The region’s 23-acre savanna that the dama gazelles share with other species is currently closed for the winter months and is scheduled to reopen in the spring.
Making a Difference for the Species
The breeding recommendation of the dama gazelles is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan® (SSP), a highly-managed program designed to ensure that populations of threatened and endangered species in human care are sustainable and genetically healthy to help protect these species’ future.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species™, dama gazelles are critically endangered, which means they face a very high risk of extinction in their native ranges. Currently, there are fewer than 300 dama gazelles left in their native range. This species’ population has been declining rapidly as their habitats in areas, including Chad, Mali and Niger, are devastated by livestock overgrazing, land development, and uncontrolled hunting.
To help protect dama gazelles, the Columbus Zoo has also provided $10,000 since 2014 to the Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF), which monitors the dama gazelle population and their distribution in Africa.
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From the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay
