Marwell Zoo welcomes another new arrival
The sitatunga calf has been named Thistle
Banana shaped hoofs, big floppy ears, fluffy coats and doe eyes make Marwell’s latest new arrival a very cute one.
The sex of the new sitatunga calf is not yet known but as it grows older will become apparent thanks to a number of distinct differences between the sexes.
Born on 29 July to mother Violet and father Tumnus, the calf is particularly fond of hiding amongst the thistles and so has been named Thistle by keepers.
Females are smaller with chestnut-coloured coats and males have darker fur and spiralled horns that point backward making it easier for them to navigate through dense vegetation.
This is particularly important because in the wild, sitatunga live in densely vegetated African swamps.
Naturally very quick and shy, these allusive creatures can be hard to find, blending into their surroundings and moving with stealth.
They have banana shaped hooves with two elongated, widely splayed toes, allowing them to move almost silently through water and avoid sinking in boggy mud.
Sitatunga are great swimmers and can paddle several miles if they need to. They have water repellent fur and have been known to completely submerge themselves to avoid predation in the wild.
Populations of sitatunga are decreasing in the wild and the species is listed as being of Least Concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.
Conservation charity Marwell Wildlife, who received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development in July, owns and operates the zoo.