The first baby of a tiny African antelope species has arrived at the Chattanooga Zoo, according to a news release.
The Zoo's female blue duiker, Poppy, gave birth Tuesday night to a calf weighing a pound - the same size as a can of soup - which is normal for the species. Full-grown adults typically weigh 10-20 pounds.
The calf is doing "extremely well" and is alert, successfully nursing and exploring its habitat with Poppy and father Branch. Its weight, length and gender will be determined during a veterinary exam, the release states.
An official name for the calf has not yet been given.
"It's always an incredible thing to see the birth of a new zoo resident," General Curator Lacey Hickle said in the release. "To know that the cute face you see represents conservation work being done is both moving and motivating."
Poppy and mate Branch arrived at the Zoo last summer and can be seen in the Makazi ya Twiga exhibit area.
Blue duikers are part of a program through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to conserve wildlife. Poppy and Branch are considered a recommended breeding pair, and their baby's birth means more genetic diversity in the species, which is an important step in saving the animals in the wild, according to the release.
- Compiled by Kim Sebring