Ready to feel all warm and fuzzy this morning?
Meet ZooTampa newest addition, a nyala calf, born May 6.
It’s not the only newborn at the zoo. A white rhino calf was born March 22. The rhino weighed a bit more!
A female nyala calf was born at ZooTampa May 6 to first-time mom Macy and father Barry.
Weighing in at 6.3 pounds and sporting a reddish-brown coat with white stripes, the calf was standing within 15 minutes of being born.
Both mom and calf are healthy and bonding well, the zoo announced May 18.
ZooTampa announces birth of nyala calf
With a gestation period of approximately 210 to 220 days, nyala calves spend about seven months developing before birth.
Can I see nyalas at ZooTampa?
Guests can observe the nyala family in their mixed-yard habitat at the zoo.
What is a nyala?
Nyala are spiral-horned antelope native to southern Africa. They recognizable with chestnut coats and white stripes and spots. Males develop spiral horns and darker coats as they mature.
They inhabit woodlands and thickets, often grazing in groups.
White rhino born earlier this year at ZooTampa
May’s nyala birth wasn’t the only recent birth at ZooTampa.
On March 22, a female white rhino was born to experienced mom Kidogo.
Kelele, as the “baby” was named, weighed in at 80 to 100 pounds.
Kelele means “noise” and “highest peak” in Swahili, according to the zoo.
“Kidogo did well with the birth of her seventh baby, and she has been very attentive,” said Chris Massaro, senior vice president and chief zoological officer.
“The birth is also special for second-time dad, Mufasa, with the arrival of his first daughter. The calf is a critical step in our ongoing effort to save the imperiled species from extinction.”
Southern white rhinos, the second-largest land mammals after elephants, have a gestation period of 16 to 18 months and typically give birth every two to five years.
At full maturity, they can grow to 12 to 13 feet long, stand up to six feet tall at the shoulder, and weigh between 4,000 and 5,000 pounds., the zoo said. They can live 40 to 50 years and run at speeds up to 30 miles per hour.
Trivia: A group of rhinos is called a crash.
Where is ZooTampa?
ZooTampa is located at Lowery Park in Tampa along Florida’s west coast. Tampa is located about 70 miles southwest of Orlando.
How much does it cost to get into ZooTampa?
General admission to ZooTampa is:
Purchase a single-day ticket online before your visit to save $3 per ticket.
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://heraldtribune.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: You have to see this cute new addition at ZooTampa
Reporting by Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
