Okapi baby is a plucky fellow
June, 2011
Rotterdam Zoo is quite pleased with the birth of this baby okapi (or forest giraffe). This beautiful little animal born last Tuesday afternoon appears to be a lively little thing: she (or he after all?) made it quite clear that handling by the keepers to definitely find out whether it is a boy or a girl is not appreciated. Although the keepers think it is a young lady this has not been confirmed yet. Mum Kamina (born in Rotterdam Zoo 13 years ago) is an experienced mum. Little Kitabu’s dad, barely three years old, is young being a father taking into account the long gestation period of 14 to 15 months! Since 1957 Rotterdam Zoo is the only Dutch zoo keeping okapi’s. The first birth in Rotterdam took place in 1960. Since then over forty of those rare forest giraffes have been born. In the wild okapi’s are living in a rather limited tropical rainforest area of Congo an unstable region of Africa which makes survival of the okapi very uncertain. Visayan warty pigs are dispersing across Europe
June, 2011
Seven years ago Rotterdam Zoo imported four couples of the Visayan warty pig from the Philippines, an endangered species. Since we started breeding with these eight animals there are now some hundred animals scattered over zoos in seven European countries. From this result we may conclude that in Europe the Visayan warty pig is awaiting a bright future. Unfortunately this cannot be said about their habitat (the Negros island in the Philippine archipelago)… In April and May of this year again three litters of Visayan piglets were born; two ‘behind the scenes’, the third litter of three piglets in the Asia House which is open to the public. The international stud book keeper could add another eight piglets to the register! So far altogether 43 of these rare pigs have been born. Some twenty animals born in Rotterdam have already been sent to zoos in Great Britain, France, Sweden, Germany, Poland and (two weeks ago) to the Czech Republic. In various British, Swedish and Polish zoos they have produced offspring already. On the Negros island this animal is threatened in its survival by poaching, loss of a suitable biotope and crossbreeding with domestic pigs. Annually all participants in the EEP for Visayan warty pigs financially contribute to the nature conservation projects in the Philippines. Two local breeding centers also breeding with Visayan warty pigs included. In selected areas on Negros island counts are performed to find out whether there are possibilities for reintroduction of Visayan warty pigs on the island of Cebu nearby. Rotterdam Zoo has the loan of the eight Visayan warty pigs from the Philippines State and all descendants will always belong to the Philippines. Rotterdam Zoo is proud of its contribution to the survival of the Visayan warty pig in Europe as well as in the Philippines. May 25th, 2011: baby giraffe Jani born in the new savanna enclosure. watch the movie of his first steps shortly after his birth...
At last tiger cubs again in Rotterdam Zoo!
May, 21th 2010
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For the first time in eight years tigers were born in Rotterdam Zoo. The keepers found tigress Alia with three cubs in her delivery den. One cub was very weak and died after a short while, the other two are doing well so far. Soon they both found a teat and started drinking mother’s milk which is a good sign. New neighbours on the savanna
May, 2010
Since the first week of June,2010, our Colobus monkeys moved to their new, spaceous enclosure at the edge of the African savanna next to the servals. Colobus monkeys love being high up in the trees. They are masterful escapists therefore a wire netting was used. Their night house is hided from view by rock-work fitting this biotope. In the back ground zebras and ostriches form the scenary. Compared to their former, temporary housing, an island in the Blijdorp pond, the colobus monkeys are much better off in their new spaceous residence which is adapted to their habitat. Next to the Colobus monkeys the “Friends of Rotterdam Zoo” opened in May, 2010 a new housing of the servals, elegant African felines with long legs. At that time the female serval was very busy with herself instead of exploring her new surroundings. She was on heat showing it loud and clear. Mewing and head rubbing against blades of grass and pieces of rock she walked about in the new surroundings. The male watching her from a distance. So far no mating attempt has been made. The animals have a spacious indoor accomodation as well as an extensive run neighbouring a group of zebras, ostriches, giraffes and koodoos. Presently the final touches are put on the permanent quarters for the colobus monkeys. In July after completing the new territory for the vultures, marabou storks and others, the African vulture rock, the savanna will be finished. |
