RARE STAR WITH STRIPES IS READY FOR NEW ADVENTURE!

One of Blackpool Zoo’s rarest youngsters is getting ready to go on an extended boys’ holiday!

Tebogo, who at 20 months old is one of only three Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra foals to be born across the UK for the past decade, will be leaving Blackpool Zoo on October 24th to join another young male at Landau Zoo in Germany.

In the wild Hartmann’s Mountain Zebras leave their mother at around Tebogo’s age to join same sex groups until they are old enough to breed.

Tebogo will live with another male in Germany until the age of around five when the European Endangered Species Programme for Hartmann’s Mountain Zebras will place him with a female group in the hope he will breed.

Sofie Fawzy, Blackpool Zoo’s Senior Large Mammal Keeper, said: “Tebogo has a very boisterous and cheeky personality and it has been a pleasure to see such a lively young foal running around.

“Of course we knew the time would come when he would have to leave us to carry on his development as he would in the wild but we will all be very sad to see him go.

“I am immensely proud to be part of the team that broke a nine year absence of Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra births in the UK last year and we have enjoyed every minute of watching him flourish here at Blackpool Zoo.

“We will certainly be keeping up to date with Tebogo as he grows up.”

Tebogo was born on February 28th 2011 and was one of only 26 foals to arrive across the entire world during that year. Since then there have been just two other foals born in the UK and the current number of Hartmann’s Mountain Zebras in captivity in the UK is just 16.

Specialist keepers that cared for his mother Helene during her pregnancy named him Tebogo, which is a South African name that means ‘we are thankful’.

Tanya Langenhorst, the International Studbook Keeper & European Breeding Programme Co-ordinator, added: “The birth of this foal was hugely important and wonderful news for the breeding programme and Blackpool Zoo as it adds not only another foal, but two more proven breeders to the European population.

“I hope Tebogo will settle in very well in Germany and look forward to seeing him become an independent young male.”

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011 lists Hartmann’s Mountain Zebras as Vulnerable with a total population of less than 9000 mature individuals.

Current studies indicate that this number could decline by more than 10 per cent in the next 25 years due to an increase in hunting and loss of natural habitat to agriculture.

Hartmann’s Mountain Zebras are native to Namibia and most commonly found in the extremely harsh environmental conditions of the Kunene Region in the North West.

There are three other Hartmann’s Mountain Zebras at Blackpool Zoo. Eighteen year old female Bette shares the paddock with Tebogo’s parents Helene and Fernando, who are seven and six respectively.

-Ends-

Notes to editors:

Pictures show: Tebogo is looking forward to his new adventure. Picture taken by Zoo member Lynne Gorrie. Please click on image below to download. If you encounter any problems when downloading the image please email paula@icgonline.co.uk

More information about Blackpool Zoo:

Blackpool Zoo celebrated its 40th anniversary on Friday 6th July 2012. It was in 1972 when 3543 visitors attended the launch, which saw TV’s Johnny Morris ride in front of the Mayor’s car on Tower Circus elephant Katsula.

Blackpool Zoo is owned by Parques Reunidos, the second largest European leisure parks operator and a leading world-wide player. The zoo is home to over 1,500 mammals, birds, reptiles and invertebrates set amidst thirty-two acres of mature woodland and lakes.

The zoo’s signature animals include elephants, giraffes, big cats, gorillas, orang-utans, sea lions, primates, zebras and kangaroos.

For further information please contact:

Paula Holden or Julie Hackett at ICG on 01772 679383 or email paula@icgonline.co.uk or julie@icgonline.co.uk

Out of office hours contact: Paula Holden on 07772268378

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