Two rare Addax babies born just weeks apart at the Louisville Zoo

2008-05-06 15:55:06 -

The Louisville Zoo is now on baby duty with the recent births of two endangered Addax born weeks apart-one was born April 14 and the other on April 27.
Addax, one of the world's rarest mammals, are critically endangered and number close to just 250 in the wild.
'Addax were extinct in the wild at one time,' said Candy McMahan, Louisville Zoo Assistant Mammal Curator. 'They now only exist in the wild because of reintroduction efforts.'
Fola, a female who was born on April 14 to first-time mom Roxanne, weighed 16 pounds at birth. Her name, chosen by Zookeeper Dawn Muncie, means 'honor.'
Safiya (pronounced Suh-Fee-Uh), a female who was born on April 27 to first-time mom Patella ('Ella' for short), weighed almost 17 pounds. Her name, chosen by Zookeeper Emily Nolan, means 'pure.'
'These were two very big Addax babies,' McMahan said. 'Normal babies weigh between 10 and 14 pounds. But Fola and Safiya are doing great, and Roxanne and Ella are wonderful mothers-continuously cleaning and grooming them.'
Both of the recent births were part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP). These plans work to improve the genetic diversity of managed animal populations.
'We have been an integral part of the Addax breeding program since 1969,' McMahan said. 'We have produced 51 offspring over the years.'
The last live Addax birth at the Louisville Zoo was in 1998. There are approximately 200 Addax in the current SSP population nationwide and five at the Louisville Zoo.
Addax are on exhibit daily depending on weather and other circumstances.

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Addax are large, sand-colored antelopes with long, thin, spiral horns that slant back and upward. They stand about 42 inches at the shoulder and have large splayed hooves for walking in soft sand. On their forehead is a prominent brown tuft of hair; a white chevron crosses their nose. They historically ranged over the entire Sahara Desert of Africa but today exist in isolated populations. Addax are the most desert-adapted of all antelopes, being well adapted to heat, a diet of coarse grasses and the absence of water. They live most of their life without drinking, deriving sufficient moisture from dew and the plants that they feed upon. Because of the extreme aridity of its habitat, the Addax moves over considerable distances in search of food.