Christmas Comes Early at Blackpool Zoo

Christmas has come early at Blackpool Zoo after the only Hartmann’s mountain zebra to be born in the UK this year arrived safely on the morning of Friday 11th December.

The stripy new addition, who is yet to be named, is the son of Helene, and takes the number of zebras at Blackpool to three including resident male Fernando.

Keepers caught the foal's first steps on camera, which can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/0Bg5u_CFF28

He is the third of his species to be born at Blackpool Zoo in the last five years and a second son for Helene, whose first foal, Tebogo was born in 2011. Tebogo was the first Hartmann’s to be born anywhere in the UK for nine years.

Hartmann’s mountain zebras are listed as vulnerable, meaning they are at high risk of extinction in the wild as their total population is under 9,000.

Adam Kenyon, Section Head of Large Mammals at Blackpool Zoo, said: “We are ecstatic to welcome this beautiful new foal to our collection.

“Due to their low numbers every birth is worth celebrating and we have been waiting with baited breath for eleven months.

‘He is certainly a very welcome early Christmas present and is the perfect way to end another great year here at Blackpool Zoo.”

Native to Namibia the zebras are usually found in small groups and are agile climbers.

Current studies show that the number of Hartmann’s mountain zebras in the wild could decline by more than 10 per cent in the next 25 years due to an increase in hunting and loss of natural habitat.