CLEVELAND — On the count of three, say “awww.”
The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is ready to show off its new addition to the public: a baby slender-horned gazelle.
The calf was born in late June but was kept away from her exhibit while she bonded with her mother, Francis. Her arrival brings the number of slender-horned gazelles up to five.
Slender-horned gazelles are a medium-sized animal averaging about 30 inches tall and weighing 60 pounds. They
have large ears and slightly oversized hooves for walking in sand. Both males and females have horns.
While the gazelles have a wide range, including in Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sudan and Tunisia, their populations are small. In fact, they are classified as “endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The Zoo participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan for slender-horned gazelles.
Didn’t get enough cuteness with the pictures? Check the baby gazelle out in person, in the African Savanna exhibit on August 1.
