Denver Zoo Welcomes First Baby Gerenuk

Officials at the Denver Zoo are thrilled with the birth of the first gerenuk ever born at the zoo.

Born to mother Layla and father Woody, the female named Blossom is the third generation female residing in the gerenuk exhibit.

Gerenuk, a long-necked species of antelope, is also known as the Waller's gazelle. The word "gerenuk" means "giraffe-necked" in the Somali language. Mostly found in East Africa, these species are prey for lions, leopards, jackals and cheetah.

What's strange about these animals is that they do not appear to drink water as they get enough water from the plants they feed on. They reproduce throughout the year and have a life span of 13 years or more. The small antelope species weighs between 60-100 pounds. They are timid and expert hiders.

Layla and Woody were paired under the recommendation of the Association of Zoos and Aquarium (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP). Layla was from Disney's Animal Kingdom and Woody was from Los Angeles Zoo.

Tiffany Barnhart, Denver Zoo spokeswoman, was quoted in Denver Post stating, "The survival plan is a program utilized by zoos to ensure captive populations of endangered species remain healthy. The process of the program is not a simple one."

According to the officials, Blossom is seen venturing out into her yard, and runs and jumps at the sight of visitors. Blossom is the first calf to Layla and she is being a very attentive mother.

A total of 95,000 gerenuks are present in the wild and are classified as 'threatened' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Their population faces a great threat from habitat loss and fragmentation.