The Toronto Zoo has had the joy of witnessing the birth of a number of darling baby animals in 2020, and staff have been kind enough to share photo and video updates to lift our spirits amid what has otherwise been a pretty bleak year.
The latest addition to the family is a baby zebra, who was born early on Dec. 1 — and the video of his very first steps is bound to make anyone crack a smile, no matter how depressing lockdown may feel or how gross this morning's weather may be.
The footage of the yet-unnamed foal, who weighed in at 52.1 kg, shows not only his debut into the world (with the help of 10-year-old mom Tori, of course), but also a special birthday dance that he decided to entertain viewers with.
After Tori and he exchanged some hilarious initial "who the heck are you?" glances, the foal is shown shortly after feeding from his mother, all fluffy and already on his feet.
He then does some endearing little hops and jumps for the camera — and whether it's a knowing performance or a case of the zoomies is up for debate.
"This is the fourth foal for mom Tori and the fifth for dad Jake, a thirteen-year-old male," the zoo said Friday morning in its social media post about the new arrival, adding that he and mom are both happy and healthy.
It also adds some details about the species — the Grevy's Zebra — which is actually on the endangered list. The new colt is the result of the zoo's efforts to protect the species.
"The Grevy's zebra has been listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation and Nature (IUCN) for decades, and the wild population currently numbers only 3,000 individuals. Habitat loss, competition with livestock, and poaching are their primary threats," the zoo wrote.
"The Toronto Zoo is part of the AZA Grevy's Zebra Species Survival Plan (SSP) and continues to support field conservation efforts for the species."
The babe joins the facility's other newborns, which include a fuzzy red panda cub, a lanky little camel, an inquisitive giraffe and eight feisty Arctic wolf pups.
Though visitors may not be able to walk around the zoo as usual at the moment due to pandemic closures, they can take part in a novel holiday drive-thru experience that is currently running on the grounds.
You can also watch animal exhibits live on Twitch, and the zoo's team will definitely continue to keep us up to date about how the animals are spending their lockdown.
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