It’s been a busy start to the summer for Druid Hill Park’s zoo, particularly for staff in the so-called African Journey exhibits.
The zoo announced today that it’s acquired a zebra from the Idaho Falls Zoo. She’s two years old, which is like eight in human years, based on their average lifespan of 25 years in the wild.
Her name is Adanna, which is coincidentally only one letter off from Ayanna, the name of the 21-year-old zebra that passed away earlier this year. Officials from the national Association of Zoos and Aquariums recommended Adanna (Addie for short) be transferred to Baltimore after the elder zebra departed, according to a release.
She’s currently being introduced to the other female zebras, Stella and Phoenix, in the zoo’s African Watering Hole section.
“They are very interested in one another without being nervous, which is a great sign,” said mammal collection and conservation manager Erin Cantwell in a statement. “We hope that they will quickly come together as a herd so we can introduce Addie to the Watering Hole and the public within the week.”
Cantwell described the young zebra as “curious, energetic” and quick-learning. She’s already mastered her role in some of the zoo staff’s training techniques, Cantwell noted.
Addie is a big improvement upon the last “zebra” to arrive in Baltimore. That scantily clad specimen stopped by to protest the circus.
Addie’s arrival also comes less than a week after a newborn giraffe came into the zoo’s care. The nameless male calf was born to 7-year-old Kesi last Thursday. After he struggled with the nursing process, staff gave him a nice dose of immune system-boosting plasma and started him on bottle feeding. He’s been doing better in the days since, staff said in an update.
