News & Media

PHOENIX ZOO WELCOMES GREVY’S ZEBRA FOAL

Male foal marks 19th born at the Phoenix Zoo since 1987, adding to the sparse population of Grevy’s zebras, an endangered species.

Zebra foal at a week old

PHOENIX (February 4, 2013) – A new Grevy’s zebra is on display to the public along the Africa Trail at the Phoenix Zoo. Born on January 19th to Masika and Punda, the newest addition to the Zoo’s herd of Grevy’s zebras weighed in at an even 100 pounds.

He enjoys exploring his exhibit and is playing with another male foal, Utambo, born just a couple of months earlier in November to mother Afiya. Both foals share the same father. The new male doesn’t have a name yet, but one will be selected soon…by the mother. Zookeepers are working on a plan to have Masika choose from three bags of treats that will each be labeled with a name selected by the Zoo’s hoofstock team. The names Masika will choose from are; Pembe, Akili and Bakari. This naming activity will take place in the zebra exhibit on Wednesday, February 6, at 9:30 a.m. and is open to the public and media.
Information about each name:

Name: Pembe
Meaning: Swahili for "horn" (an animal horn)
Why: Obviously zebras do not have horns, but the Grevy's zebra's historical range encompasses the majority of the Horn of Africa

Name: Bakari 
Meaning: Swahili for "One who will succeed"
Why: Every Grevy's zebra's birth is a symbol that the species has a chance to rebuild and survive. This foal will carry on the task to represent his species. 

Name: Akili.
Meaning: Swahili for cleverness.
Why: The foal is very clever at figuring out how to get his brother to start playing with him.

Grevy’s zebras are endangered with less than 2, 500 left in the wild due to loss of habitat, competition with livestock and poaching. As the largest zebra species, Grevy’s can be distinguished from other zebras by their longer legs, more narrow stripes, white, stripeless underbelly and large rounded ears. Grevy’s zebras are only found in northern Kenya and south eastern Ethiopia.

The Phoenix Zoo is dedicated to saving Grevy’s zebras through conservation in the wild and on Zoo grounds. Both foals are the result of a breeding recommendation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan, which ensures the genetic diversity of select species. The Phoenix Zoo is also a proud partner of the Grevy’s Zebra Trust, an organization dedicated to the conservation of Grevy’s zebras.