It’s a beautiful baby bonanza at one Australian zoo

The seasons have leapfrogged* at one Australian zoo, where there is a distinct springtime vibe in the air. We don’t need to turn on the heaters here at Kids News HQ – we’re too busy warming ourselves with images of the adorable baby boom* at Taronga Zoo Sydney.

From a newborn pygmy hippo* calf learning to dive, two adventurous chimp babies learning the ropes, an impending public debut of a young seal pup and the overjoyed announcement of twin red panda cubs, it’s a mini-stampede* of sweetness.

Hippo calf Lololi is currently learning to push off the bottom of her pool during dive lessons, with mum Kambiri keeping close watch nearby.

“Lololi has been learning to hold her breath and propelling herself off the bottom of the pool to take fresh breaths,” said ungulate* keeper, Renae Moss. “She’s inquisitive* and is often seen mouthing leaves and, on occasion, wearing them on her head.”

The eight-week-old female pygmy hippo calf* is a welcome addition to Taronga’s breeding program*. The zoo is now home to three members of this endangered* West African species, which are one fifth the size of a common hippo and are best visited early in the day, when little Lololi is most active.

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Another keen young diver is fur seal pup Eve. At nearly four-months-old, Eve is busy picking up skills from mum Keke in preparation for her public debut, while her one-year-old big brother Kobe has taken to centrestage like a natural.

But we’re not all water babies. Keeping cosy and warm nestled in their soundproof and private nesting box* are Taronga’s newest twin red panda cubs. Born in early December at a featherweight 100g each, the cubs – one female, one male – have spent the first nearly 90-days of their lives tucked safely away, suckling from their mother Daiyu from the safety of their den*. As the twins reach their three-month milestone, they’re expected to start exploring the habitat outside their nest any day.

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Meanwhile Taronga’s chimpanzee baby buddies, Lemba and Cekiri, are keeping their mums Lisa and Ceres on their toes as their adventurous personalities start to emerge. Now nearing 10- and 8-months-old respectively, the two babies are starting to explore the ropes and hammocks of their habitat*, never straying far from their doting mums.

“Chimpanzees are our closest relatives, sharing almost 99 per cent identical DNA*, which means that like human babies, they are slow-growing animals who need and rely on their mums for many years as they grow up, “said primate* supervisor Richard Buzas.

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No matter where you live in Australia, kids can explore and be inspired by Taronga’s scientists, researchers and keepers by starting down their own wildlife trail at taronga.org.au/education

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GLOSSARY

• leapfrogged: to move ahead quickly or abruptly, often skipping over something
• baby boom: a period of increased birthrates, resulting in a large number of babies being born
• pygmy hippo: a small species of hippopotamus native to West Africa
• stampede: a sudden, frenzied rush or movement
• ungulate: a mammal with hoofs
• inquisitive: curious or eager to learn
• hippo calf: a young hippopotamus
• breeding program: a program designed to selectively breed animals for specific traits or to conserve endangered species
• endangered: at risk of extinction
• den: a wild animal’s lair or shelter
• nesting box: a small, enclosed space for animals to nest or rest
• habitat: the natural environment where an organism lives
• primate: a group of mammals that includes humans, apes, and monkeys
• DNA: the molecule that carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all known organisms

EXTRA READING

Zoo baby sweeps away Swift fever

Quirky dating dance leads to endangered chick boom

Zoo denies standing bear is a human in disguise

QUICK QUIZ

1. What are some of the adorable baby animals mentioned in the story from Taronga Zoo Sydney?
2. How is hippo calf Lololi learning to dive, and who is keeping a close watch on her?
3. What is unique about pygmy hippos compared to common hippos?
4. How old is fur seal pup Eve, and what is she busy learning from her mum?
5. What are the names of Taronga’s newest twin red panda cubs, and how much did they weigh when they were born?

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Tell their story
Choose one of the young animals in the story. Write a story describing what they are doing in their photo or video completely from their point of view. Your purpose is to help your reader understand exactly what your animal is feeling and doing.

Time: allow at least 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English

2. Extension
What is the purpose of a zoo? Use information in the story and possibly your research skills to create a poster. The purpose of your poster is to show all of the reasons why zoos are important.

Time: allow at least 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science, Visual Communication Design

VCOP ACTIVITY
Read this!
A headline on an article – or a title on your text – should capture the attention of the audience, telling them to read this now. So choosing the perfect words for a headline or title is very important.

Create three new headlines for the events that took place in this article. Remember, what you write and how you write it will set the pace for the whole text, so make sure it matches.

Read out your headlines to a partner and discuss what the article will be about based on the headline you created. Discuss the tone and mood you set in just your few, short words. Does it do the article justice? Will it capture the audience’s attention the way you hoped? Would you want to read more?

Consider how a headline or title is similar to using short, sharp sentences throughout your text. They can be just as important as complex ones. Go through the last text you wrote and highlight any short, sharp sentences that capture the audience.