British zoo welcomes second rare zebra filly foal

A British zoo is celebrating the birth of its second Hartmann’s mountain zebra foal this year, with a filly born in Devon last month.

The latest foal was born at Paignton Zoo on November 18, to eight-year-old mare Leila and five-year-old stallion Jabali, who have both been at Paignton since 2019.

Leila came from the Czech Repulic and Jabali came from Blackpool Zoo. Jabali is also the sire of the zoo’s other filly foal, Tamali, who was born on May 18.

Some zoo guests were able to see the foal up and about on the day she was born, in the enclosure opposite the giraffes at Paignton Zoo.

Hartmann’s mountain zebras are classed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List with fewer than 35,000 mature individuals left in the wild. They have a very small range today, and are found only on mountains and hills in South Africa, western Namibia and southwestern Angola.

This species is hunted for its skin and meat and is also at risk of a severe decline in the case of drought, like that which decimated the population in the 1980s.

Paignton Zoo’s Head of Conservation Services Clare Rugg said the latest arrival was wonderful news for the herd, which is part of an international breeding programme.

“The pressures of agriculture, hunting and climate change have severely affected the species, so the newest addition is also good news for the population as a whole.”

Paignton Zoo is part of Wild Planet Trust, a conservation and education charity that works to protect biodiversity and help halt species decline.