Columbus Zoo celebrates birth of three gazelles
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is celebrating the birth of three baby dama gazelles in its Heart of Africa region.
The births, which happened in January and February, mark the first of the year for the critically endangered species. The dama gazelle is the rarest of all gazelles, with fewer than 300 left in their native land in Chad and elsewhere, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.
On Jan. 21, first-time mother Kix gave birth to a female calf. On Jan. 31, experienced mother Susie Cruise gave birth to a “playful and spunky” female calf with father Zultan. On Feb. 7, mother Raisin and father Kabili gave birth to a male calf.
The zoo said its expert care team has closely monitored the new arrivals. Each calf has received additional support, including antibiotics and plasma, to ensure its health and well-being.
The zoo’s curator of the Heart of Africa region, Shannon Borders, noted that “every birth is special and important to the survival of this rare species.
“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,” said Borders in a release. “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 dama gazelle breeding program is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, which is designed to ensure that populations of threatened and endangered species in human care are sustainable and genetically healthy to help protect their future.
The Columbus Zoo has also provided $10,000 since 2014 to the Sahara Conservation Fund, which monitors the dama gazelle population and their distribution in Africa.
The new calves have not yet been named and are currently bonding with their mothers in a behind-the-scenes area of the Heart of Africa region, the zoo said. The savanna area that the dama gazelles share with other species is closed for the winter months and is scheduled to reopen in the spring.
tmoorman@dispatch.com