The newborn zebra stays close to his mother, Lydia. (Photo courtesy of Cape May County Zoo)
Although he’s only a baby, he’s already earned his stripes.
The Cape May County Zoo has welcomed the birth on May 21 of a male zebra to parents Lydia and Ziggy.
Cape May County Board of Commissioners Vice Director Andrew Bulakowski, who serves as liaison to the zoo, expressed his excitement over the newborn zebra.
“His arrival is another reason to celebrate and to acknowledge the dedication of our zoo staff, who provide exceptional care for the animals. I encourage everyone to visit the zoo to see the new arrival, and experience one of Cape May County’s greatest treasures,” Bulakowski said in a news release Thursday announcing the birth.
This is the first male zebra to be born at the zoo in recent years. The zoo has not yet announced his name.
Although foals take frequent naps, visitors to the zoo will be able to observe him nursing and playing in the zebra yard with the rest of the herd.
He is part of the Grant’s zebra herd. Grant’s zebras are a subspecies of Plains zebra and are endemic to central and eastern Africa. Gestation lasts 13 months, and foals are born ready to take on the world, running within an hour of birth, the zoo said.
The Cape May County Parks and Zoo are open daily. Zoo hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the parks are open from 7 a.m. until dusk.
This is the first male zebra born at the zoo in recent years. (Courtesy of Cape May County Zoo)
