Birth wave at ZooParc: several young of endangered species born

A real birth wave has taken place at ZooParc. At the zoo in Overloon, a brazzameer cat, three Asian clawed otters, two Bennett wallabies and two ring-tailed lemurs were born. In addition, twelve African penguins hatched.

"Spring is very evident in our park, as evidenced by these births. All the animals are doing incredibly well and we can't wait until we can open the doors again so that visitors can come and meet these youngsters," says head of animal care Steven van den Heuvel.

The African penguin, which lives wild in southern Africa, and the ring-tailed lemur are endangered species. As such, there is a breeding program for these animals, as well as for the brazzama cat. This program aims to ensure a healthy population of endangered or vulnerable species in zoos. "We are therefore extremely happy that we were able to contribute to that with this boy," Van den Heuvel says.

Different threatsThe African penguin faces several threats. "For example, there is a lot of drilling for oil and gas, and there is also overfishing of the fish the penguins feed on," Van den Heuvel knows. He notices that the penguins are well settled in ZooParc. "This year the first chick that crawled out of the egg here has itself become a parent of a youngster. That, of course, is heartening. That we can welcome so many chicks is a sign that the penguins are having a great time here."

Among the ring-tailed lemurs, two young came into the world. "The population of these beautiful animals is unfortunately declining, which has several causes. Their habitat on Madagascar is being destroyed by forest clearing, among other things, and the lemurs are also being hunted," Van den Heuvel explained.

Only one in the NetherlandsZooParc is the only zoo in the Netherlands where brazzamer cats can be seen. "That our animals have provided offspring is of course always nice. This species is not yet endangered, but the population is declining. This is partly due to the clearing of the rain forests in Central and West Africa, where the brazzamer cat lives," Van den Heuvel said.

The three Asian clawed otters and the two Bennett wallabies, which occur in the wild in eastern Australia, are doing well. Van den Heuvel: "The otters are currently still in the nursery where they came into the world. In a while, the young of this species labeled as 'vulnerable' will leave the room, after which they can explore their enclosure. The Bennett wallabies are also still keeping a little hidden: they are in the pouch with their mothers and occasionally poke their heads out."