IndIanapolIs Zoo annual RepoRt 2011

Zoo BaBIes Make HIstoRy
At 5:34 a.m. on July 20, 2011, African elephant Kubwa gave birth
to a female calf weighing 238 pounds, representing yet another
milestone in elephant reproduction in human care. The calf,
named Kalina, was the third one born to Kubwa through
artificial insemination (AI). This is the first time any elephant
and elephant staff in the world accomplished three AI births
with the same elephant.
The Indianapolis Zoo has long been a leader in elephant
reproduction research, including the first and second successful
African elephant AI births in the world. We have had five
successful elephant births since 2000, each one tremendously
exciting and important for the future of elephants. The work
that the Indianapolis Zoo has accomplished in researching and
performing AI procedures laid the foundation for a marked
increase in successful elephant births worldwide.
Although she was undoubtedly the most popular baby at
the Indianapolis Zoo in 2011, Kalina was not the only adorable
youngster to make her debut last year. Five extremely active
ringtail lemurs kept visitors entertained by leaping from branch
to branch on their island exhibit. Behind the scenes, a rare
crowned lemur was born, the only birth of this endangered
species in the United States in 2011. Two kudus were born in
Plains, along with another addition to the herd of the highly
endangered Addra gazelles, a charming little Guinea baboon
named Romeo, and a gorgeous young male giraffe named Jasiri.
In Oceans, we welcomed a rockhopper penguin chick, the first
progeny from a rockhopper mom that was also born at the Zoo
– and a whole bunch of tiny little jelly polyps––the first time
we have accomplished jelly reproduction on-site. In another
first for the Zoo, we became the only institution to successfully
reproduce and raise dogsharks to 1 year of age and older.
If the young represent the future, then the Zoo is well
positioned for years to come.
Zoo Babies at the Indianapolis Zoo are presented by
Community Health Network.
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