Reid Park Zoo welcomes a new member to the zebra family

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — When you visit Reid Park Zoo, you may come across an endangered Grevy zebra foal prancing around.

She was born at about 1:20 a.m. on July 8.

The baby zebra has yet to be named, but is the daughter of zebras Anna and Ben.

The zoo says she is healthy, nursing well, and bonding with her very attentive and nurturing mom.

According to Reid Park Zoo, the baby zebra is already showing off her feisty personality by chasing the wild ducks in the habitat, playing in the sprinklers and zooming around while mom tries to keep up with all the foal’s energy.

According to the African Wildlife Foundation, Grevy's juveniles have a low survival rate. The population of Grevy's today is about 2,800 and the Grevy is listed as endangered on the Red List of Threatened Species.

Reid Park Zoo participates in the Grevy’s Zebra Species Survival Plan, a cooperative effort among zoos to maintain a healthy and genetically diverse population with the goal of helping to sustain this vanishing species.

Adam Ramsey, the Zoo’s Director of Animal Care says, "I’m proud of our veterinary and animal care teams who have worked tirelessly to provide Anna with the exceptional care necessary for a healthy delivery and to give this new little one the foundation she needs to thrive. I am also appreciative of the hard work our professional maintenance team has done in preparing for this birth, making modifications behind the scenes and to the habitat. This is a significant and welcome birth for the species — important in helping prevent Grevy’s zebra from becoming extinct.”

Guests who are hoping to see mom and baby will have their best chance to spot them in the mornings, according to Reid Park Zoo.

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Vanessa Gongora is KGUN 9's Westside reporter.. Vanessa fell in love with storytelling by growing up in sports. She was fascinated by how sports reporters go beyond the x's & o's to tell players' stories, and how sports bring people together, inspiring Vanessa to provide the same impact as a journalist. Share your story ideas and important issues with Vanessa by emailing vanessa.gongora@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and X.