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Virginia Zoo announces two new babies

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NORFOLK, Va. – Spring has sprung and so have two babies at the Virginia Zoo – a bongo calf and porcupette were recently born and can soon be seen on exhibit.

A crested porcupine baby, called a porcupette, was born to parents Wilma and Flapjack on March 26. This is the second offspring for the parents.

Keepers call the female baby, Stompers. She weighed just over a pound at birth and is already starting to chew on solid foods.

Mom and the baby are expected to be off exhibit in the ZooFarm for another week or so while they bond and the exhibit is babyproofed.

Crested porcupines are native to various regions in Africa. The species can grow up to 25 to 32 inches long and weigh from 25 – 32 pounds. There are no major threats to this species.

An Eastern bongo male calf was born to mom Betty on Friday, April 5. He weighed 48.5 pounds at birth, and is the seventh offspring for mom, Betty and fifth for father, Bob.

The Keepers call the calf, Boomer, and he brings the herd total to eight. Betty and new baby are out on exhibit with the rest of the herd and can be seen in their exhibit in the Africa – Okavango Delta at various times throughout the day, depending on weather conditions and their activity levels.

Bongo are large-bodied, relatively short-legged antelope with long spiraling horns that make one complete twist from base to tip. Bongos inhabit lowland forest of Kenya.

The Zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Family memberships start at just $129, daily admission is $14.95 for children and $17.95 for adults. Click here for more information.