City zoo celebrates new arrivalsBaby Vicuna and mother
Vicunas were almost hunted to extinction in the 1970s
Belfast Zoo is celebrating two new arrivals following the births of baby vicunas.
Vicunas, which are originally from the Andes in South America, were almost hunted to extinction in the late 1970s for their very valuable fleece.
However, with conservation efforts and careful management the animals are now reasonably safe, but are still classed as an endangered species.
Keepers at the zoo have not yet been able to get close enough to the animals to find out what sex they are, so the two baby vicunas are still without names.
Both babies, which stand just below one metre tall, were born to different mothers in the past few days.
Emma, the mother of the first baby, was born in Mulhouse Zoo in France and is now 11-years-old, while Colonia, the mother of the second vicuna, was born in Germany in 1994.
Douglas, the father of both babies, was born in Belfast Zoo in 1993.
Manager Mark Challis said the hilly terrain of Belfast Zoo provided the perfect environment for the animals.
"We have a very good enclosure for the vicuna, as they are originally from the Andes," he said.
"With the zoo being on Cave Hill they have a quite steep enclosure which resembles their natural habitat."
(source:
BBC News)
cute right?