Lincoln Park Zoo announces birth of an endangered Grevy’s zebra, the sixth foal of Mom Adia

A female endangered Grevy’s zebra foal was born on Monday, June 22, at Lincoln Park Zoo, where 19-year-old mother Adia has delivered her sixth offspring. According to the zoo, the newborn, estimated at 100 pounds, proved remarkably active, running just one hour after birth. Both Adia and the foal are healthy and under close monitoring by veterinary staff, Zoo Curator Dan Boehm noted.

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Wild populations face critical threats

According to zoo officials, Grevy’s zebras are the largest of three zebra species and possess about 80 reddish-brown stripes that darken to black as the foal matures. Their native range spans Ethiopia and Kenya, where habitat loss and hunting have reduced the wild population to just 2,000 individuals, the press release added. The foal joins a small herd, including her sister Yabelo and adult Delrie. The birth is reportedly part of the Grevy’s Zebra Species Survival Plan (SSP), a collaborative effort among AZA institutions to manage the species’ population.

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Curator Boehm emphasized the zoo’s role: “Adia has a great maternal track record with her past foals, and her strengths are already shining again as she cares for her newborn,” Boehm said, per the announcement. “We’re proud to play a part in conserving the Grevy’s zebra population through important births like this one.”

Zebras nurse for about 275 days, with a gestation of roughly 390 days, Lincoln Park Zoo confirmed. The foal will remain dependent on Adia for seven months before gradually joining the group. Experts note that Grevy’s zebras’ large eyes provide a wide field of vision, helping them spot predators in open scrublands while grazing for up to 60% of the day.

Public support remains vital: individuals can adopt a zebra or support the zoo’s conservation work at lpzoo.org.