RACINE, Wis. - There's a new member of the Racine Zoo, a newborn Hartmann’s mountain zebra!
Born in the early morning of Oct. 12, this is the third Hartmann’s Mountain foal born at the Racine Zoo and the first female.
Hartmann’s mountain zebras
Big picture view:
The Racine Zoo says she is a very important addition to the Hartmann’s mountain zebra population.
Born to mother, Promise, and father, Obi, the new foal was born as a recommendation of the Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra Species Survival Plan. With Hartmann’s mountain zebras vulnerable in their native habitats in southern Africa, this foal is an important contribution to global conservation of this species.
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What they're saying:
"We are all very happy for Promise, Obi and the new foal and cannot wait to introduce her to the public," says Dan Powell, Curator of Animal Care and Conservation at the Racine Zoo. "This successful birth is a testament to the hard work of the Animal Care Specialists and medical team monitoring Promise’s pregnancy and daily care".
Promise's pregnancy
Timeline:
The Racine Zoo’s animal and veterinary care teams have worked diligently to monitor Promise’s health as her due date approached. Hartmann’s mountain zebra pregnancies are a full year in length, and animal care staff began to suspect Promise was pregnant in the fall of 2025, and the pregnancy was confirmed via ultrasound this past spring.
In order to ensure a safe and healthy birth, keepers watched Promise day and night for weeks via night-vision camera, tracking and recording her behaviors and physical condition, reporting any changes to her vet staff. They tracked and recorded all of her behaviors, including eating, sleeping and other behaviors via night-vision cameras installed in zebra holding.
The Racine Zoo reports that it was an uneventful pregnancy, and Promise shows her experience of being a mother, taking excellent care of the foal. The zoo is excited to introduce the public to their healthy baby girl, and hope to allow access in the near future.
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Naming the foal
What you can do:
There is one thing missing—a name! You can vote for your favorite name on the zoo's Facebook page.
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The Source: The Racine Zoo sent FOX6 a news release and the picture.