ZOO CONTACT: Kyle Shepherd
502-238-5331 (Media Cell 502-744-5639)
kyle.shepherd@louisvilleky.gov

The Louisville Zoo’s 6-year-old Hartmann’s mountain zebra, Azizi, has given birth to a female foal as the Zoo’s mini baby boom continues. The filly was born just before midnight on Thursday, May 12.

Mom and the foal are both well. The filly is already running around and keeping mom busy. Guests can stop by and see the pair with the rest of the zebra herd in the Africa zone.

At the neonatal exam, the filly weighed 71 lbs. and was deemed strong and healthy. Her name will be determined soon.

In early May, the Zoo celebrated the first harbor seal birth in its history. Louisville Zoo staff are currently monitoring Masai giraffe Kianga; she is well into her pregnancy with a calf expected soon. Updates will be provided on all three mothers and their offspring as part of Zoo Babies presented by Norton Children’s.

“We are ecstatic to have so much to celebrate this spring. These new offspring will be wonderful ambassadors to tell the stories of their species,” said Louisville Zoo Director Dan Maloney.  “We look forward to watching this new filly grow with our community and sharing news about our pending giraffe birth.”

Zoo Babies presented by Norton Children’s is a reminder that every animal birth is important and an opportunity to “better the bond between people and our planet.” To learn more about the program, visit louisvillezoo.org/zoobabies.

About Hartman’s Mountain Zebras

Hartmann’s mountain zebras are found in dry, stony mountains and semideserts of southwest Africa and western Angola. No two zebras have identical stripe patterns. This makes it easier for members of a herd to recognize each other but harder for their main predator, the lion, to single one out. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has them listed as vulnerable.

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Since 2011, under Mayor Fischer’s administration, the Louisville Zoo celebrated its 50th anniversary, opened nine new exhibits and attractions, and won national awards for Glacier Run and School at the Zoo. Considered Kentucky’s most popular not-for-profit paid attraction, the Zoo welcomed nearly 9 million guests in the last decade. In 2021, the Zoo was voted “Best Place to Take Kids in Summer” by LEO Weekly, “Best Kid-Friendly Attraction” by Kentucky Living Magazine, and Boo at the Zoo made the Top 10 Halloween Festivals list by thetravel.com. Community Access Memberships, deep-discount days, the Future Healers Got Zoo Buddies partnership and the accessible playground are among prime efforts to make the Louisville Zoo even safer, more engaging and more inclusive. Among the Louisville Zoo’s most successful conservation programs, the black-footed ferret breeding effort has produced 1,100 kits and repatriated more than 800 of these most highly endangered American mammals to the wild.

The Louisville Zoo, a non-profit organization and state Zoo of Kentucky, is dedicated to bettering the bond between people and our planet by providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for visitors, and leadership in scientific research and conservation education. The Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

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