New Births Add to Zoo's Numbers

News Report

Bloomingdale-Riverview residents heading to the Lowry Park Zoo this weekend could see some new additions to the zoo's population.

is home to more than 1,500 animals representing approximately 300 species. 

In the last few weeks, five spring offspring have added to the numbers with the hatching of a Marabou stork, and births of a royal antelope, squirrel monkey and two waterbuck. 

The zoo’s first successful hatching of a Marabou stork chick occurred Feb. 3.   Marabous are tall birds with distinctive features like a balding head, long bill and pink inflatable throat sack used to make various noises during courtship. This scavenging stork may not be the most attractive bird in the flock, but its look is unmistakable. The zoo’s Marabou stork family can be found nesting in Safari Africa, in a habitat adjacent to the giraffes and zebras.

Zoo animal care staff also welcomed a tiny royal antelope fawn Feb. 23. The royal antelope is the smallest of all antelopes, standing only 10-12 inches tall as an adult. These animals are mostly nocturnal and very shy, living on their own or in pairs. If you look closely, the royal antelopes can be found in the hornbill aviary in Safari Africa.

A common squirrel monkey was born March 14 to experienced mother “Cappi.” These petite primates live in large groups in moist, tropical forests throughout Central and South America. Squirrel monkeys have short gray or olive-color fur and have distinctive yellowish-orange legs. They are agile animals with long tails used for balance when jumping through trees. Swing by Primate World to see these lively little monkeys, weighing only about 1-1.5 pounds each.

A waterbuck calf was born March 17 and another March 24. Unlike their name implies, waterbuck are not aquatic animals. They are a type of antelope found in savannah grasslands gallery forests and woodlands south of the Sahara. They are quiet animals that take refuge in water to escape predators in the wild. At the zoo, find the waterbuck herd along the path of the Safari Ride.

The Marabou storks, squirrel monkeys and waterbuck are members of the Zoo’s Species Survival Plans (SSPs), cooperative conservation and breeding programs managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to help ensure the survival of designated wildlife species.