Today we were all pleased to welcome a newborn gerenuk calf. The gerenuk herd lives opposite the okapis in the Heart Of Africa exhibit at the Wild Animal Park. In the wild, they are found in East Africa, from Somalia to Kenya. The dam went into labor around 11am. We brought her inside to give her privacy and the calf was born about 1/2 hour later. Within another 45 minutes he was up and nursing.

Gerenuk are among the most beautiful and fascinating of all antelope. They are very tall and slender, with huge ears and eyes, but the most striking thing about them is their feeding habits. These antelope are browsers, living on leaves and vegetation, and are adapted to exploit a feeding zone unused by other browsers. The tops of the trees are for the giraffes, the lowest vegetation is for smaller animals, and the level 6 to 8 feet up belong to the gerenuk. How do they do it?

Gerenuk have developed adaptations which allow them to stand completely erect on their hind legs. These include modifications of the skeleton, muscles and vertebral column. They can balance without support for short periods of time, but usually have a front hoof touching a branch or trunk for support. When first seeing a gerenuk feed, most people are taken aback. They truly look as though their hips are double jointed.

The new calf, a male, was born to a female who was also born at the Wild Animal Park. She is an experienced mother, and we expect her to do a fine job with this little one. Her distinguishing characteristic is a crooked leg, the legacy of an injury sustained many years ago. Our wonderful veterinarians pinned her leg and she has done well ever since. The sire is a male named Norton who came to us from the Los Angeles Zoo. He happens to have been hand raised and is a real character. The new calf will spend a few days indoors bonding with his dam, and then will go out with the rest of the herd.

Folks have commented that it must be great to see so many animals born, but the facts are that we actually see fewer births than you’d think. Most animals like to give birth at night or in secluded areas, so often we find the new kids the following morning. Today was truly a special occasion – we were there at the right time to see the calf born!

Marcia Redding is a senior mammal keeper at the Wild Animal Park.

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