It has been a busy month at the Phoenix Zoo, with three new births.
On Feb. 10, the zoo welcomed a desert bighorn lamb ram to its herd. He is the offspring of dam, Shawnee, and sire Captain Jack Sparrow.
"Captain Jack Sparrow arrived to the Phoenix Zoo in 2019 as a direct transfer from southern Arizona in conjunction with Arizona Game and Fish Department to add founder genes into our Desert Bighorn Sheep Species Survival Plan population," said Linda Hardwick, vice president of marketing, communications and events at the Phoenix Zoo. "Last year’s successful births of two calves, and one so far this year, are very significant in helping gene diversity to strengthen the health of the species within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums populations."
On Feb. 7, a baby girl Masai giraffe was born at the Phoenix Zoo.
"This is the third calf for mother Sunshine, and the fourth calf sired by father Miguu. The nearly 6-foot-tall, 150-pound baby is healthy and sticks extremely close to her mother in the giraffe barn," Hardwick said. "Sunshine is an incredibly protective mother and we anticipate them to stay off exhibit in their barn, bonding for at least the next few weeks. Sunshine is an 8-year-old Masai giraffe, and arrived to the zoo in 2014 as recommended by the Masai Giraffe Species Survival Plan in order to breed with our nearly 13-year-old male Masai giraffe, Miguu (pronounced Mee-goo). Miguu came to Phoenix in 2010 from the Los Angeles Zoo."
On Jan. 30, the zoo welcomed an Arabian oryx calf to its herd. According to Hardwick, after a quick neonate exam, it was discovered the calf is a healthy girl.
"She is the offspring of dam, Debbie, and sire Justin," Hardwick continued. "She is in the Arabian oryx habitat along the Africa Trail of the Zoo, but her light brown coloring blends into the desert substrate quite well, so she may be hard to see although she is getting more active as she grows."
Right now, the bighorn ram and the oryx calf are in their habitats.
"We will make another announcement when we anticipate the giraffe baby to venture out onto the Savanna," Hardwick said.
