What’s black, white and adorable all over? Monarto Safari Park’s new Plains Zebra foal!
The little foal was born on Sunday in Etosha, the first stage of Monarto Safari Park’s Wild Africa precinct, to 17-year-old mother, Kenya, and 10-year-old father, Storm.
The matriarch of the herd, Kenya is also a grandma with four of her grand-foals living at Monarto.
Keeper Haidee Kinter said the foal has been running and playing, testing out it’s legs!
“The foal has been staying close to Kenya, but it is already really confident and has been testing out it’s legs running and jumping around,” she said.
“Because Kenya’s an experienced mum, she has been comfortable bringing her foal over to us and it sat down and relaxed while were there.
“The herd have been gorgeous with the foal, one of Kenya’s daughters, Kali, has been sticking close by and keeping watch over the new little one too.
“It’s really exciting for us to have the herd grow and see them enjoying their space out in Wild Africa. We can’t wait to welcome guests out there soon to see the herds roaming the plains.”
The new striped addition brings the Etosha herd numbers to 11.
Set to be completed by early 2023, Wild Africa is a 550 hectare area which adjoins the existing Monarto Safari Park site.
Along with the Plains Zebra herd, the first stage known as Etosha (after Etosha National Park in Namibia) houses species including Scimitar-horned Oryx, listed as extinct in the wild, along with Waterbuck, Eland and Ostrich.
The area is also set to house free-ranging species like giraffe, Bongo, Nyala, hippos and Southern White Rhino.
The expansive space has been planted with specific grasses to not only provide food for the huge number of animals who will call the area home, but also to create scenes reminiscent of the African Plains.
Future visitors to the Wild Africa precinct will also be able to stay in a luxury hotel and glamping facilities by private developer Gerry Ryan.
They will then be completely immersed in the sights, smells and sounds of the savannah as they travel across the open plains in an open-sided vehicle tour through herds of roaming animals and watch as they gather, graze and wallow at the waterholes.
The Plains Zebra is the most common and geographically widespread of the three zebra species. It roams the savannahs of eastern and southern Africa.
However, the species is now threatened, with only 150,000 to 250,000 individuals left in the wild according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
By visiting Monarto Safari Park and supporting Zoos SA, you are helping us continue our vital conservation work with species like the Plains Zebra and safeguarding them for the future.
For more information, please visit www.monartosafari.com.au.
