San Antonio Zoo animal care specialists welcomed a baby blue duiker this week to the Big Cat Valley area of the zoo. Animal Care Specialists named the baby Viazi, otherwise known as "potato" in Swahili.
Blue duikers are a small species of forest-dwelling antelopes found in central, eastern, and southern Africa. The calf is the fourth born to parents, Stumpy and Kate, who previously had calves in 2014, 2015, and 2017.
"We are excited to announce this addition to our zoo family," said President & CEO San Antonio Zoo Tim Morrow. "This has already been a fantastic year as we have welcomed many new births throughout the zoo, and this is just one more reason to celebrate. I am very proud of our Animal Care Specialists and veterinary teams for their hard work and dedication in securing a future for wildlife."
Blue duikers weigh up to 20 pounds as full-grown adults. The blue is named for the color their fur appears in the dense forest shade, and duiker is an Afrikaans word for "diving buck," which describes its behavior in the forest as it dives into bush and brush undergrowth. Blue duikers are on the Species Survival Plan and have a conservation status listed as Least Concern.
San Antonio Zoo has a long history of working to preserve species worldwide. The zoo's Center for Conservation and Research seeks to fulfill the zoo's Mission Statement through various approaches, including fieldwork and captive husbandry of rare and threatened species. The scope of efforts includes projects on three continents, transnational research, and projects throughout the United States, with particular emphasis on Texas. For more information on the zoo's conservation programs, visit https://sazoo.org/zoo-conservation-efforts/.
Photo Courtesy: San Antonio Zoo