Endangered newborn foal makes debut at Florida zoo
Courtesy: Zoo Miami
MIAMI, Fla. - A newborn foal born at Zoo Miami is helping keep a critically endangered species from going extinct.
The endangered Somali Wild Ass was born on Friday. The foal is the 9th born at Zoo Miami. Its mother, ‘Lisha,’ is the oldest Somali Wild Ass to give birth at nearly 23-years-old.
A neonatal exam is planned for the weekend to confirm the sex of the foal, get its weight, collect blood and insert a transponder for identification.
According to Zoo Miami, Somali Wild Asses are among the world’s most critically endangered equids with less than 1,000 believed to still exist in the wild. It is the last remaining ancestor of the modern donkey.
Courtesy: Zoo Miami
They are the smallest of the wild equids and are found in the rocky deserts in very isolated areas of Eastern Africa.
READ Miracle puppy born with six legs in Oklahoma
Adults weigh approximately 500 pounds and mares give birth to usually a single foal after a gestation of 11 months. They are characterized by their smooth gray coat and their striped legs which are indicative of their close relation to zebras.
Courtesy: Zoo Miami
Zoo Miami began exhibiting the highly endangered Somali Wild Ass in 2011 and is part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP), a carefully planned captive breeding program designed to maintain healthy populations of these extremely rare animals for generations to come.
CONNECT WITH FOX 13: