Como Park Zoo & Conservatory announced the birth of its first nyala calf in a Facebook post Tuesday, welcoming the female antelope now on display with her family.
Visitors fawn over first nyala calf born at Como Zoo
The calf, which has yet to be named, was born Jan. 6.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
January 16, 2024 at 10:48PM
The calf, which has yet to be named, weighs just over 8 pounds, was standing within 35 minutes of her birth and is now basking in visitors' "oohs and aahs," the St. Paul zoo said in its post.
She was born Jan. 6 to mother Stevie and father Stanley. Photos showed the calf, with white stripes along her sides, receiving affection from her mother.
Nyalas are an antelope, native to southern Africa, with males that grow spiral-shaped horns. The species' endangerment status is listed at the level of "least concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The calf's parents were brought to the zoo in 2023 on a species survival plan breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The plan "identifies population goals and recommendations to manage a genetically diverse, demographically varied and biologically sound population," according to the association's website.
The plan can change from year to year, said zoo spokesman Matt Reinartz. The association makes recommendations for when a pair of animals should mate and whether more should be born, but there's not an ultimate goal for the total number of offspring, he said.
"It's like a big Rubik's Cube behind the scenes with zoos, what animals get paired up with what animals, and when they're allowed to breed and not," he said. "That's to keep the genetic lines clean, and prevent overpopulation or underpopulation."
Reinartz noted breeding can vary — the zoo previously had more than 20 giraffe calves, but now no longer breeds them.
The zoo hasn't yet decided how the nyala calf will be named, but Reinartz said there could be opportunities for community feedback. Recently, zookeepers have picked out several names for baby animals before letting the public vote online, he said.
“I would imagine we might do a contest with it,” Reinartz said.
State law allows voters to cast their ballot up to 46 days before the election, but many will choose to vote on Election Day, Nov. 5.
