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Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Toronto Zoo welcomes the birth of Grevy's zebra foal

Photo Credit: C. Thompson, Toronto Zoo
TORONTO, ON, Thursday, August 18, 2016 : The Toronto Zoo is pleased to announce that Tori, a six year old female Grevy's zebra  (Equus grevyi), gave birth to a filly on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 at 2:49 pm.  This birth is important for Grevy's zebra conservation as the species is currently listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and, there are only approximately 2,000 left in the wild.
This is the second filly Tori has given birth to at the Toronto Zoo, the first being, Leia, in January of 2014 with Jake. This little filly began to walk ten minutes after she was born, which is an important milestone in her development. Both mom and filly are doing well and she is already starting to develop her own strong and confident personality, according to her Zoo Keepers.

Grevy's zebras were first put on the IUCN list in 1986, after their population began to decline due to over hunting in the late 1970s. Today, Grevy's zebras are primarily found in Kenya and Ethiopia and, over the past 30 years, their global population has declined by approximately 70%. The major threats facing Grevy's zebras are loss of grazing habitat and reduced access to available water sources, competition for resources, hunting and disease.
"The birth of Tori's filly is a great opportunity to spread the word on the plight of Grevy's zebras in the wild," says Maria Franke, Curator of Mammals, Toronto Zoo. "As one of the Zoo's key mandates is to educate visitors on current conservation issues and help preserve biodiversity, this filly helps highlight the importance of zebra conservation and what is being done to preserve this magnificent species in Africa. The Toronto Zoo supports Grevy's zebra conservation efforts in Ethiopia and Kenya through the Toronto Zoo Endangered Species Reserve Fund."
The Toronto Zoo’s Endangered Species Reserve Fund supports Canadian species and other critical projects around the world, further emphasizing our ongoing commitment to fight extinction. Every animal at the Zoo is an ambassador for its counterpart in the wild, each animal strives to create a connection with the public to bring attention to the problems facing species in the wild. The Toronto Zoo believes it has a shared responsibility to care for wildlife on this planet, and the Zoo works hard to be a leader in efforts to save animals and habitats that need help.
The Toronto Zoo is also part of the Grevy's zebra Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is a series of long-term breeding and conservation plans that act as an insurance policy fighting against extinction to save endangered species. These plans focus on maintaining genetically healthy captive populations and conservation efforts in the wild. Now more than ever the work the Toronto Zoo does to save and protect species and their habitats is critical to the ongoing survival of many of the worlds’ most endangered species, including the Grevy's zebra.

Please note mom and filly will be on exhibit periodically throughout the day and you may catch a glimpse of them on exhibit.    
                                                               
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                                    CLICK HERE for more information on Grevy's zebras.
   

TORONTO ZOO'S UPCOMING EVENTS
   Don't forget to check out the following events taking place at the Zoo:
          WE'RE CELEBRATING GRANDPARENTS AND SENIORS*
     Brought to you by the National Campaign for Better Hearing in Partnership with ListenUP! Canada
                                       
The National Campaign for Better Hearing, in partnership with ListenUP! Canada and the Toronto Zoo, is hosting Grandparents Day and Seniors Day on Sunday, September 11 and Monday, September 12, 2016 respectively. The campaign’s objective is to raise awareness of hearing loss by ensuring all Canadians 60+ receive a baseline hearing test and begin annually monitoring their hearing health.
ListenUP! Canada hearing professionals will be on-site at the Toronto Zoo to provide FREE, no obligation hearing screening tests on both days*. As part of this campaign, they will be donating $4 for every hearing screening test in order to provide hearing aids for those who cannot afford them. The campaign’s goal is to raise over $250,000 for hearing aids this year!
Sunday, September 11th: Grandparents are invited to get a free hearing test in the Wildlife Marquee while Grandkids enjoy face painting, caricature drawings and colouring activities! We will also be offering special keeper talks featuring Zoo grandparents! The fun starts at 9am and runs until last hearing test booking at 5pm.
Monday, September 12th: Seniors, 65+ will receive free Zoo admission and Zoomobile ride from ListenUp! Canada. Throughout the day Seniors will have the chance to receive a hearing test in the Wildlife Marquee plus enjoy other fun promotions from 9am to 3:30pm.
*Event subject to change without notice. Limited number of daily tests. First come, first served
MORE UPCOMING GRRREAT EVENTS!
Orangutan Awareness Weekend - Saturday, August 20 & Sunday, August 21
Oasis ZooRun 10K and 5K Run/Walk - Saturday, September 24, 2016

  
Follow us on Twitter, and Facebook to receive updates our Zebra filly's journey!

                      
 
The Toronto Zoo is Canada’s premier zoo and a national leader in saving wildlife to ensure the rich diversity of nature for future generations.  More than a tourist attraction, the Toronto Zoo boasts a number of leading programs for helping wildlife and their natural habitats – from species reintroduction to reproductive research. A world-class educational centre for people of all ages, the Toronto Zoo is open every day except December 25 and attracts approximately 1.3 million visitors each year.
Toronto Zoo is accredited by CAZA (Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums) and AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums). Look for these logos whenever you visit a Canadian zoo as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. For more information, visit caza.ca and aza.org
 
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