Cotswold Wildlife Park delighted with arrival of foal.

Cotswold Wildlife Park welcomes its latest arrival (and first large birth of 2016) – a Chapman’s Zebra foal named Spot. Xena gave birth inside her stable and the tiny colt spent his first few weeks there by his mother’s side and away from public view. The foal’s father (and ) is called Spongebob. Visitors named the new colt via the Park’s Facebook page.

Spot has now ventured outside and is exploring the paddock, never far from the watchful eye of Xena. The new addition is the sixth member to join the ‘dazzle’ (the collective noun for a group of ). Visitors can see the foal in the Zebra enclosure opposite the Rhino paddock.

Curator of Cotswold Wildlife Park, Jamie Craig, commented: “We are always delighted with any birth at the Park but to arrive at work to the sight of a new born foal gambolling around the zebra paddock was especially satisfying – watching the youngster settling in with the herd and familiarising itself with his surroundings under the watchful eye of his mother is a real treat. We look forward to watching him develop, hopefully with slightly more “African” weather!”

Cotswold Wildlife Park has been home to these iconic African since 1976 (early archive photograph pictured right of a fearless Grevy’s Zebra chasing one of the Park’s Rhinos around the paddock). The first Chapman’s Zebra ( chapmani) arrived at the Burford collection in 1978, eight years after the Park first opened to the public on Good Friday, 27th March 1970. This latest arrival marks the forty- third Chapman’s Zebra birth - a testament to the Park’s successful breeding programme.

The gestation period for a Zebra is approximately twelve months. Females give birth to a single foal. Soon after birth, they are able to stand up and walk. During the first few weeks of life, the mother is very protective. The foal recognises his mother by her call, her scent and her stripe pattern*. The mare’s protectiveness ensures that the foal will not imprint on another . The mare will suckle her foal throughout and beyond his first year and their bond is an incredibly strong one.

Zebras are the only wild that remain plentiful in their natural range in the African plains. They are related to the now extinct Quagga (a cross between a Zebra and a ) of which millions were killed, many simply for sport. Some were transported to zoos where breeding was thought unnecessary, as it was believed numbers were plentiful in the wild. Sadly, the last Quagga died in Amsterdam Zoo on 12th August 1883.

In 2012, researchers at Sweden’s Lunds University examined potential evolutionary reasons for the Zebra’s distinctive striped markings. They began by studying horses that had black, brown or white coats. They discovered that white-coated horses were much less troubled by horseflies than their dark-coloured relatives. By setting up insect glue-covered boards with different patterns, researchers found that a white- and-black striped pattern, replicating the coat of a Zebra, attracted the least amount of flies by a large margin. Their research revealed that stripes probably evolved to repel bloodsuckers, successfully scrambling their vision.

Additional information: * There are three species of Zebra: Plains Zebra (of which Chapman’s Zebra is a sub-species), and Grevy’s Zebra (listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.) * Zebras are equids (members of the horse family). They communicate through facial expressions, such as baring their teeth, and vocally through barking, braying and snorting. * Zebras taste the air for pheromones - a behaviour known as the . They pull their upper lip back and draw air across the . This is how a male is able to tell whether a female is ready to mate. * Their powerful kick can cause serious injury to predators such as , Hyenas and African Wild Dogs. * As a Zebra gallops, all four hooves are off the ground for more than half of the time taken for a complete stride. Such minimal contact reduces friction with the ground and allows the Zebra to “fly” in a succession of long leaps, at speeds exceeding 35 miles per hour. * When resting at night, Zebras lie down while one stands watch to prevent an ambush.

Cotswold Wildlife Park opens its doors at 10am every day†, with last admission at 4.30pm††- ENDS – For further information, please contact Debbie Ryan, Press Officer, Cotswold Wildlife Park on 07787 133837 or email [email protected]. †Except Christmas Day ††3.30pm during winter months. * Research from Klingel H. (Reproduction in the plains zebra. J Reprod Ferti Suppl 1969).

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