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Summary of Transcript:
Chester Zoo has welcomed the first aardvark calf ever born at the zoo. The calf has been nicknamed ‘Dobby’ after a Harry Potter character and was taken to the vet for a health check. The calf is born home daily to bond with its mother and will be part of an endangered species program to help maintain the zoo population.
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Summary of Description:
A Chester Zoo in the UK has welcomed the birth of an aardvark calf, the first in its 90-year history. The calf is hand-reared by zookeepers and nicknamed Dobby due to its resemblance to a Harry Potter character. They use their long noses and tongues to eat ants and termites and their powerful claws to dig burrows. Aardvarks are found in sub-Saharan Africa but are threatened by habitat loss and hunted for their meat.
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Aardvark Born at Zoo for the First Time in 90 Years
We are thrilled to announce that an aardvark has been born at our zoo for the first time in our 90-year history! The calf was held overnight on 4 January and is hand-reared by our dedicated zookeepers every evening.
The sex of the new calf is yet to be determined, but the staff has nicknamed the youngster Dobby due to its resemblance to the much-loved Harry Potter character. With only 66 aardvarks found in zoos across Europe and a mere 109 in zoos worldwide, our zoo is one of just a few zoos caring for the species.
In the wild, aardvarks are found in sub-Saharan Africa, where they are threatened by habitat loss due to agricultural development, which also brings them into conflict with local farmers. They are also hunted for their meat.
The word aardvark translates to “earth pig” in the language of Afrikaans. The nocturnal animals use their long noses and keen sense of smell to sniff out ants and termites, which they lap up with a long tongue measuring up to 25cm, covered in sticky saliva. Aardvarks use their powerful claws to tear open termite mounds and dig underground burrows where they sleep.
The Critical Role of Zoos in Aardvark Conservation
The birth of this aardvark calf is a reminder of the important role zoos can play in conserving endangered species. Zoos provide a haven for species threatened in the wild, and breeding programs help ensure the species can continue to thrive.
At our zoo, we are committed to providing the best care for our aardvarks and are dedicated to helping ensure the species’ survival. We are also working to raise awareness of the threats facing aardvarks in the wild and to promote conservation efforts to protect their habitat.
We are delighted to welcome Dobby to our zoo family, and we hope that the birth of this aardvark calf will be the first of many more to come!
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Source Description
An aardvark has been born at the zoo for the first time in our 90-year history!
We were overjoyed to discover the new arrival snuggled up with mum Oni (8) and dad Koos (6) after it had been born overnight on 4 January.
The calf, born with large floppy ears, hairless, wrinkled skin, and giant claws, is hand-reared every evening by zookeepers providing dedicated care, feeding the baby every few hours through the night for around five weeks to help it gain strength.
The sex of the new calf is yet to be determined, but the staff has nicknamed the youngster Dobby due to its resemblance to the much-loved Harry Potter character.
With only 66 aardvarks found in zoos across Europe and a mere 109 in zoos worldwide, Chester is one of just a few zoos caring for the species.
In the wild, aardvarks are found in sub-Saharan Africa, where they are threatened by habitat loss due to agricultural development, which also brings them into conflict with local farmers. They are also hunted for their meat.
The word aardvark translates to “earth pig” in the language of Afrikaans. The nocturnal animals use their long noses and keen sense of smell to sniff out ants and termites, which they lap up with a long tongue measuring up to 25cm, covered in sticky saliva. Aardvarks use their powerful claws to tear open termite mounds and dig underground burrows where they sleep.
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