The sitatunga herd is growing at the Maryland Zoo!
On Monday the zoo welcomed a female calf from first-time parents Jess and Jabari. The eight-pound calf is tiny, but they say she is doing well.
“Right now, Jess and her calf are bonding behind-the-scenes," said Erin Cantwell, mammal collection and conservation manager at the Zoo. “Based on their health and the weather, we anticipate it will be a couple of weeks before they will be in the Sitatunga Yard making their public debut.”
The sitatunga is a species of antelope that is native to Central Africa. The Maryland Zoo now has 12 in their herd after the birth of the new baby. They can be found in who exhibit spaces along the boardwalk in the African Journey section of the zoo.
The new calf is a result of a recommendation from the Sitatunga Species Survival Plan with the goal of ensuring the health as well as the long-term survival of the species.
