Walt Disney World welcomes two zebra foals into the herd
ORLANDO, Fla. - Walt Disney World is showcasing two cute Hartmann’s mountain zebra foals that animals lovers are able to see on Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.
The foals were born earlier this month but spent their first couple of weeks "backstage" to spend time with their mothers.
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Cricket was born to first-time mom Juno at the end of May, and is described to love the water as she has been seen splashing in puddles. Cricket's name comes from the Disney/Pixar movie "A Bug's Life" as it ties in with her mom's nickname "June Bug".
The second foal born in early June, Dot, was born to Aziza who is also a first-time mom. Dot is more energetic than her sister and gets the case of the "zoomies" quite often. Dot's name is in reference to dots on a domino as that is her father's name.
Domino is the father to both Cricket and Dot.
The Hartmann’s mountain species of zebras are found in sub-Saharan Africa and are considered a "vulnerable species". This means that their population is declining at a rate faster than they can repopulate. This is due to habitat loss and hunting.
The births of these zebra foals are in part due to the Species Survival Plan that is responsible for the "breeding and genetic diversity of hundreds of animal species".