ENDANGERED RED PANDA GIVES BIRTH TO QUADRUPLETS

Denver Zoo is proud to announce the birth of four endangered red panda cubs! The birth of quadruplet red panda cubs is extremely rare; this marks only the fifth recorded birth of quadruplets at an accredited U.S. zoo.

The four cubs (three male, one female), were born to mother Sophia, and father, He-Ping, on July 9. Mother Sophia will be hard at work over the next three months caring for her newborns behind the scenes in an air conditioned den area. The cubs will be vaccinated and given the opportunity to grow and develop before venturing out onto exhibit for public viewing in the fall.

Cuttlefish Swimming in Tropical Discovery Exhibit

Denver Zoo’s two newest additions may not be the cuddliest creatures, but they are sure interesting to watch. Two blue-lined cuttlefish just arrived from the National Research Center for Cephalopods in Galveston, Texas. Visitors can now see these odd-looking additions in Tropical Discovery.

Cuttlefish are not actually fish, but cephalopods, the same marine class that includes octopuses and squids.

DENVER ZOO CELEBRATES BIRTH OF EMPEROR TAMARIN TWINS

The twins were born to mother, Yana, late in the night on July 9.  This marks only the second and third emperor tamarins born at Denver Zoo in the last 10 years.

The two tiny tamarins can be seen with their mother and older brother Paddy. Zookeepers have been very pleased with Paddy’s attentiveness to the newborns. Paddy has been seen assisting mom with babysitting duties, in the father’s absence.

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RARE OKAPI CALF ONLY FIFTH BIRTH OF SPECIES AT DENVER ZOO - Mother and Calf Can Be Seen in Outdoor Yard Weather Permitting

Denver Zoo is celebrating the birth of a rare okapi (Oh-kah-pee). The female calf, named Kalispell (Kal-i-spell), was born to mother, Iosi (Ee-oh-see), and father, Jekaro (Jeh-car-oh), on June 27, and is only the fifth birth of this species at the zoo. Kalispell will remain behind the scenes for a short while longer, but visitors will soon be able to see the youngster as she grows and becomes more self-sufficient.

Okapis look like a cross between zebras and giraffes. In fact, it is the only living relative to the giraffe. In addition to long necks, okapis have reddish bodies, black-and-white striped legs and 12-inch, purple, prehensile tongues.

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DENVER ZOO WELCOMES RARE ALBINO DUCKLING - Albino Hatchling Unlikely to Survive in Wild, but Doing Just Ducky at Zoo

Denver Zoo recently welcomed a rare and pigment-less sight to its family. A female albino mandarin duckling was hatched on May 30. Though the duckling will eventually be on display, she is currently growing and developing with the rest of her clutch under the watchful eye of bird keepers in the zoo’s Bird Propagation Center.

Bird keepers will take every precaution to make sure to keep their new albino duckling covered and protected from the sun.

NEW AMUR TIGER POUNCES INTO DENVER ZOO

A 3-year-old female Amur tiger, named Koshka (Koosh-kuh), arrived at Denver Zoo in December and is now on public exhibit. Koshka comes to Denver Zoo from Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo on a breeding loan sanctioned by the Association of Zoo’s and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP). She was brought to Denver Zoo in the hopes she would mate with 5-year-old resident male tiger, Waldemere (Wald-uh-meer).

Amur tigers are classified as critically endangered, with an estimated population of less than 400 individuals remaining in the wild. Besides habitat loss, their biggest threat comes from poaching, both for their fur and their other body parts which are used in traditional Chinese medicine. They are now almost completely confined to the Far East portion of Asia along the Amur River. Because of this they are now commonly called Amur tigers.

DENVER ZOO WELCOMES AFRICAN LONGHORN

Denver Zoo is celebrating the birth of a long-horned Ankole (Ann-cole-ee) female calf that was born on May 2. The little lady, named Belle, may not have any horns yet, but her species, native to central and southern Africa, has the longest horns of any cattle breed in the world. They are also sometimes referred to a Watusi (Wah-Too-see).Visitors can see Belle on display with her family now.

Belle was born to father, Ralph, and mother, Trixie. Along with second female, Alice, the trio was all named after characters from The Honeymooners. Belle is already exploring her yard on her own, but often stays close to the adults as they form a triangular formation for defense.

DENVER ZOO CELEBRATES RARE AYE-AYE BIRTH


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Denver Zoo is proud to announce the birth of a new aye-aye, a rare endangered primate found in Madagascar. The male infant was born Saturday, April 18, but still does not have a name. The infant’s birth is significant as it is only the second aye-aye to be born at a North American zoo. The new aye-aye is currently in a nest box in Denver Zoo’s Emerald Forest building inside the Primate Panorama exhibit. Visitors will be able to see the youngster as he grows and becomes more self sufficient.

Trio of Dall's Sheep!


Three Dall's sheep lambs have been born this April - here's the latest! Dall’s sheep is distributed throughout Alaska, the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and the northwest part of British Columbia.

Cute bighorn lamb on the mountain!


A bighorn lamb was born at the end of April. The lamb regularly nurses and can be seen climbing with the rest of the bighorn herd! The Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep is the Colorado state animal.

BLIZZARD BRINGS GIRAFFE AT DENVER ZOO


While Denver was digging out of its spring break winter storm in March, Denver Zoo welcomed the birth of a cool new giraffe, named Blizzard. Visitors will be blown away by this six-foot-two, 165-pound baby. Born Friday, March 27, the calf can now be seen with his mother at the zoo’s giraffe exhibit.

Blizzard was born to mother, Kipele and father, Dikembe. The calf brings the zoo’s giraffe herd to seven, including a 6-month-old giraffe named Timber and a 6-week-old calf named Pongo. Blizzard is very energetic and is already running laps around his older siblings in the giraffe yard, but still manages to stay close to mom.

DENVER ZOO HOPES NEW CHEETAH MAKES FAST FRIENDS


Denver Zoo is participating in a cheetah breeding program, swapping its lone female cheetah for another in the hopes that both will some day have cubs. This was done under recommendation of the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP). Zoos participate in SSPs to ensure healthy populations and genetic diversity among animals. Visitors can see the new cheetah, Katili (Kah-ti-lee), in the cheetah exhibit now.

Katili is an eight-year-old cheetah from the Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, Michigan. She will be paired with five-year-old male Barafu (Bah-rah-foo).

ENDANGERED GOLDEN LION TAMARIN BORN


Denver Zoo has struck gold again as it is celebrating the birth of a new endangered golden lion tamarin that came into the world on February 6. Mother, Rosie, and father, Siamo, have proven to be excellent parents to their two previous sets of twins, and again are taking excellent care of the new arrival! Guests can see the entire family in the Emerald Forest exhibit in Denver Zoo’s Primate Panorama.

TALL ORDER ARRIVES AT DENVER ZOO


It will be hard for zoo visitors to miss the newest addition to the Denver Zoo family, a six-foot-two, 175-pound male giraffe, named Pongo. Born Sunday Feb. 15, the calf can now be seen with his mother at the zoo’s giraffe exhibit.

Pongo was born to mother, Masika and father, Dikembe. The calf brings the zoo’s giraffe herd to six, including a six-month-old giraffe named Timber. Visitors can see Pongo inside the Giraffe House and outside as the weather warms.