Disney World's Animal Kingdom Park Welcomes 'Very Active and Curious' Baby Zebra
The latest addition to Disney World’s Animal Kingdom is wildly cute.
A female Hartmann’s zebra foal was born on Mar. 21 to first-time mom Heidi. She has yet to be named.
Although Walt Disney World Resort is temporarily closed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, their animal care team is continuing to look after the parks’ resident animals.
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This striped new arrival is the third zebra to be born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom this year as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Program, which helps protect endangered species in the wild by maintaining the genetic diversity of zoo animals around the world.
“Already very active and curious, this little lady is much like her mother and has very long legs,” Dr. Mark Penning, vice president of animals, science, and environment for Disney Parks wrote in a press release.
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The baby, who weighs about 65 pounds, was standing and testing out her legs within 30 minutes of being born.
A video of the foal and Heidi shows the sweet mother-daughter pair snacking on twigs and running around the park.
“Heidi is showing she’s a natural at parenting skills as she stays close to her baby to bond with her and nurse,” Penning added in the release. “Bonding is especially important, as a young zebra will imprint on its mother’s scent and memorize the unique markings on its mother’s hind legs to tell her apart from the rest of the herd.”
In a few weeks, Heidi and her baby will join the other animals in the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction at Animal Kingdom.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom has experienced a baby boom as of late: the foal joins a baby prehensile-tailed porcupine, born to mom, Peri, on Feb. 25, according to the park.
