The Toronto Zoo has welcomed a new baby camel to its growing family.
On the morning of May 5, the zoo announced its eight-year-old Bactrian camel, Suria, had given birth to a female calf.
The zoo has yet to give the new calf a name.
The zoo says wildlife care staff confirmed the pregnancy last spring via ultrasound and Suria’s 13-month-long gestation period was very relaxed.
“It’s been a long time to wait, but we’re finally over the hump!” the zoo said.
This is Suria’s second calf, however, following the pregnancy, the zoo says her first few stages of nursing have been challenging. Wildlife care and wildlife health staff ensured they were prepared for this complication and had several strategies in place to guarantee positive outcomes for her and the calf.
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“The first 30 days are always critical, and as mom and calf continue to bond they may not always be on display. Zoo staff will continue to monitor both the calf and mom closely,” the zoo said.
Following birth, a young calf stays with its mother for three to five years until it reaches sexual maturity.
The new baby camel is the sixth addition to the zoo’s camel herd. Suria and her new calf are currently living with fellow female camel Jozy in the zoo’s Bactrian Camel Habitat.
The calf’s dad, Zip, a seven-year-old Bactrian, will remain separated in another area of the habitat.
A Bactrian camel’s most noticeable feature is their two humps. Bactrian camels live primarily in Central Asian deserts north of the Himalayas. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, they are deemed as “critically endangered.”
