ADORABLE BABIES! Brookfield Zoo Chicago Welcomes New Arrivals This Spring

Brookfield Zoo Babies Have Arrived

New Brookfield Zoo Babies Include Penguin Chicks, a Nyala Antelope Calf and More

BROOKFIELD—Several new babies were born, hatched and morphed at Brookfield Zoo Chicago Zoo since January, including Humboldt penguin chicks, a nyala antelope calf, and a Western gray kangaroo joey. Guests can see most of these new arrivals—many of which are endangered species—while visiting the Zoo this spring. 

“These new arrivals mark important milestones for each of these species, including many facing population challenges in the wild,” said Dr. Sathya Chinnadurai, senior vice president of animal health, welfare and science at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. “Our animal care experts are dedicated to nurturing all animals under our care, providing them with the support they need during milestones like this and throughout their lives. These younglings demonstrate our commitment to protecting biodiversity, and we hope they inspire conservation leadership and connections to wildlife while guests visit Brookfield Zoo Chicago.” 

Brookfield Zoo Babies Have Arrived

Introducing the Brookfield Zoo Babies of Spring

Humboldt Penguins 

A pair of Humboldt penguin chicks (Spheniscus humboldti) hatched at the Living Coast on January 28 and January 31. They were born to Cara and Popero, a pairing based on a recommendation from the AZA SSP. The eggs were carefully replaced by artificial eggs in the habitat to not disrupt the parents’ natural behaviors while animal care experts care for the hatchlings, which improves chances of survival. One chick was reared by its parents, while the other was fostered by Patty and Valentino. Guests can keep an eye out for the newest members of the colony, as they’re expected to be on habitat beginning in June. 

Humboldt penguins are native to the western coastline of South America near Peru and Chile. Researchers estimate the wild population to be under 24,000, and Brookfield Zoo Chicago has led efforts in a conservation program at Punta San Juan for nearly 20 years. The Zoo, which has about 30 Humboldt penguins in its colony, is one of 25 AZA institutions to care for this species listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. 

 Nyala Antelope  

A Nyala antelope (Tragelaphus angasii) calf was born on February 25 to Zola, an experienced mom at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Gestation for this species lasts about seven months, when the calf is then birthed in a hidden place to protect it from predators. The female calf displays the species’ reddish color and white striped coat, which also offers protection as camouflage that mimics the dappled sunlight in its native habitats in Africa’s thickets and woodlands. The female calf is expected to make its debut at Habitat Africa! The Savannah in May. 

Brookfield Zoo Babies Have Arrived

Binturongs  

Any day now, Brookfield Zoo Chicago expects the arrival of bintlets, or baby binturongs (Arctictis binturong)! Kartika, an experienced mom, is nearing the end of a 90-day gestation period after which binturongs usually give birth to two bintlets at a time. Kartika willingly participates in voluntary medical check-ups, like ultrasounds visible to guests visiting Clouded Leopard Rain Forest, that allow caregivers to ensure her health and document critical developmental milestones of the bintlets. 

This species is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. These births are part of Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s participation in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP)—a cooperative management and conservation program that manages breeding of a species to maintain a healthy and self-sustaining population that is both genetically diverse and demographically stable. 

Emperor Spotted Newts 

For the first time in its history, Brookfield Zoo Chicago welcomed six Emperor spotted newts (Neurergus kaiseri) that hatched in January. Often known as Kaiser’s mountain newts, these small amphibians are known to only one location in the wild: a spring-fed pool in the Zagros Mountains of Iran. They start as aquatic larvae with gills then metamorphose into terrestrial juveniles, which then return to the water as adults for breeding. Guests can learn more about this Critically Endangered species, as declared by the IUCN Red List, while visiting the Zoo’s Swamp habitat. 

Brookfield Zoo Babies Have Arrived

Lake Titicaca Frogs 

An important milestone for Lake Titicaca frog (Telmatobius culeus) population also took place in January, when Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s population laid eggs on habitat in Reptiles & Birds. The eggs were then moved to a behind-the-scenes habitat for close monitoring by animal care experts, resulting in five successfully metamorphosized frogs that guests can expect to see on habitat later this spring. This species is the largest fully aquatic frog in the world, evolving with distinctive folds on its skin to absorb more oxygen in its oxygen-scarce natural habitat in Lake Titicaca along the Boliva and Peru border. It is the most endangered amphibian species in Bolivia and listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with up to a 70-percent population decline over the last four decades. 

Saffron Finches 

The Zoo’s Reptile & Birds aviary will soon see new additions take flight, as two saffron finches (Sicalis flaveola) hatched on January 14. These small yellow birds are native to South America, where they live in flocks during the winter and break off into pairs during breeding season. They are unique songbirds in that they do not migrate, but guests can expect to hear a wide range of singing and vocalizations while visiting these finches. 

Brookfield Zoo Babies Have Arrived

Silver-Beaked Tanagers 

Similarly, two silver-beaked tanagers (Ramphocelus carbo) hatched on February 23, supporting AZA’s SSP for the species. These small tanagers are native to northern South America and live in large mixed-species flocks in the wild, similar to how guests can see them in both the Feathers & Scales and Reptiles & Birds habitats.  

Western Gray Kangaroo  

A joey also joined the mob, or group of kangaroos at Brookfield Zoo Chicago! The Western gray kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus) is part of an AZA SSP and has a short gestation period of about 30 days. Within about three minutes of birth, the joey—which is just over an inch in length at birth—crawls into its mom’s pouch to suckle and feed. It then remains there for about eight months, so guests can join the Zoo in “joey watch” at the Australia habitat later in the summer. 

Guests can learn more about these species and more than 500 others while visiting Brookfield Zoo Chicago. More information about the Brookfield Zoo Babies and the Zoo experience is available at brookfieldzoo.org/visit.