Calgary Zoo experiencing ‘baby boom’ with several fresh faces

Any Calgarians who have been to the zoo lately may have noticed a few fresh faces running around.

The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo is seeing a baby boom with a number of animals born into their care this year, including some that are critically endangered.

The newcomers this year include two southern bald ibis chicks, three spur-winged lapwing chicks, two North American river otter pups, two wood bison calves, three black-and-white ruffed lemur pups, and most recently a Humboldt penguin chick.

Zoo officials say it’s important work to help animal conservation.

“It’s been a really exciting first part of the year, we’ve had lots of births and hatches all throughout the Zoo,” says animal care manager Patrick Thompson.

The baby boom isn’t only exciting for onlookers, with the zoo ensuring a hopeful future for the species. The black and white ruffed lemur is critically endangered, for example, making the birth of three pups at the zoo all the more important.

Two of the freshest faces are the two wood bison calves. The youngest was born on May 30 and named ‘Apapom’ — meaning lightning.

The zoo worked with the Siksika Board of Education to name the newest member of the herd, who is getting along well with ‘Ok’takii,’ born two weeks earlier.

“They get so much out of having an animal that’s the same age as them,” says Thompson. “They just get to grow up together, they get to play together.”

While the zoo does artificially inseminate some animals when need be, the large majority of pregnancies and births happen completely naturally with staff monitoring close by.

They work with other accredited zoos through the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s Species Survival Plan to match up potential breeding partners.

“It’s a bit like a dating service where they will pick out various animals that are great genetic matches and they’ll try to get them paired up,” Thompson says. “So, whether that’s an animal that’s heading here, or us sending an animal out, we want to make sure that we’re contributing to the genetic stability of these populations under human care.”

All of the babies are available for public viewing, but staff say they may be hidden in the back while the protective parents teach their babies the ropes.

The zoo is expecting more babies soon.