News release from the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo:
Zoo Baby Boom
The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo has experienced a late summer baby boom! A baby swamp monkey, two wildebeest calves, a sitatunga calf, and up to seven kangaroo joeys recently joined the zoo family.
Born on September 8, a female infant is the latest addition to the African Journey swamp monkey troop. The new baby spends most of her time with mother Brie, but big sisters Izzy and Calvin and big brother Anderson are extremely interested in the new arrival. Keepers have not yet named the baby.
The wildebeest herd grew with two new additions this summer. Miqueas, a male, was born on July 6. At that time, the entire wildebeest herd was in an off-exhibit yard to protect the baby from the zebras, who can be aggressive toward wildebeest calves. On September 13, just one day after the wildebeest moved back onto the savannah, a second calf was born as zoo guests watched.
Tiny kangaroo joeys are starting to peek out of pouches in the Australian Adventure. Zoo keepers expected a population surge when Mako, an adult male kangaroo, arrived at the zoo this spring. Keepers believe that up to seven of our female kangaroos may be carrying joeys of varying ages.
Meanwhile, keepers have confirmed the sex of a sitatunga baby born August 25 as a male and named him Link. Sitatungas are a marsh antelope native to Africa.
Zoo goers have just a few weeks left to see the new babies – the zoo closes for the season on Sunday, October 9.
The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is one of the area’s major attractions, drawing 500,000 visitors every year. The zoo is consistently named one of the country’s “Top Ten Zoos for Kids” by national media outlets.
The Zoo is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily until October 9. Admission is $13 for adults, $8.50 for children age 2-14, and $10.50 for seniors over age 60. Babies age 1 and under and Zoo Society Members are admitted free.
Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo website
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