OCT 25, 2:32 PM

There Is One More Lesser Kudu At The National Zoo
Selam Berhea



What are you looking at?

Gil Myers / The Smithsonian National Zoo

D.C. has a new baby animal to get starry-eyed over. The Smithsonian National Zoo announced on Thursday the birth of their newest addition, a lesser kudu calf.

This birth comes after a major loss for the zoo’s lesser kudu family. On September 28, the matriarch of the herd, Shirley, died after complications while giving birth to a calf of her own. Shirley’s calf did not survive its birth.

The new calf, which doesn’t yet have a name, was born on October 14 to Shirley’s daughter, Rogue, and the male lesser kudu at the zoo, Garrett. This is their second calf following the birth of 10-month-old Kushukuru. With the new calf, there are now three males and one female lesser kudu living at the zoo.

Zookeepers have observed the calf moving well and nursing normally, per a press release announcing the calf’s birth. An exam performed the day after he was born found the baby lesser kudu to be healthy and gaining weight. The little guy is “bold and alert,” and visitors can look forward to seeing him roughhouse with his brother and dad once he’s finally allowed into the public enclosure, the zoo says.
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