Newborn Zebra Foals Make Savanna Debut at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Two adorable Hartmann’s mountain zebra foals have made their Savanna debut at Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Both can be seen delighting guests on Kilimanjaro Safaris at the park.
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After spending their first couple of weeks backstage bonding with their moms, both foals joined their dad Domino on the savanna June 23.
Cricket, who was born to first-time mom Juno on May 29, loves the water and has been seen splashing around in puddles on the savanna. She is getting more independent and starting to explore her surroundings away from mom. Cricket’s name is a nod to Disney-Pixar’s “A Bug’s Life” and ties in with her mom Juno’s nickname of June Bug.
Dot, who was born to first-time mom Aziza on June 4, is a little more energetic than her sister and can be seen darting around the savanna getting her “zoomies” out. Dot is named for the dots on a domino, which is a nod to her father’s name, and also ties in with the film.
Just as they have different personalities, their stripes vary, too.
Each Hartmann’s mountain zebra – whose stripes stop right at their bellies unlike common zebras whose stripes wrap around their entire body – is born with unique stripe patterns, and no two are the same, just like human fingerprints!
Dot has connecting stripes on the back of her legs like her mom Aziza and a triangle shape on the front of both of her shoulders that resembles an upside-down checkmark.
Cricket’s stripes on the back of her legs are more jagged and don’t connect, and she has a stripe on both shoulders that is forked, resembling a wishbone.
Hartmann’s mountain zebras are found in sub-Saharan Africa and are a vulnerable species due to habitat loss and hunting. These foals’ births are part of the Species Survival Plan, which is overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and ensures responsible breeding and genetic diversity of hundreds of animal species.
Both foals are adjusting well to life on the savanna and are very curious about their surroundings. Guests can find these adorable new additions and the rest of the herd on Kilimanjaro Safaris.
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Photo Credit: Aaron Wockenfuss/Walt Disney World
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