CUMBERLAND, Ohio — The Wilds is welcoming 23 babies to its zoo family. The conservation center says the babies are contributing to the future of two at-risk species: Sichuan takin and Père David’s deer, which is listed as extinct in the wild.
Between March 11 and April 13, nine takin kids were welcomed by experienced mothers, who were also born at the conservation center.
Sichuan takin is native to the same region of China as the giant panda and areas along the eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau. Known as “goat-antelopes,” the Sichuan takin is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union For Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species™ due to threats, including overhunting and habitat loss.
Known as “goat-antelopes,” the Sichuan takin is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union For Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species™ due to threats, including overhunting and habitat loss.
The Wilds also helped to protect this species through the support of field work in China, including developing field anesthesia protocols, testing tracking collar designs, and curating a video catalog of takin behavior.
Wilds staff members were also involved in placing satellite collars on seven takin in China. The collars help researchers with learning more about how animals move and use their native habitat.
Additionally, from March 23 through April 23, 16 fawns were born into The Wilds’ Père David’s deer herd.
Père David’s deer are good swimmers and native to low-lying grasslands and reed beds in China. Due to overhunting and habitat loss, the population rapidly declined and was almost extinct by the early 1900s.
The Wilds is now fully open for the summer season. Currently, all of the babies are in The Wilds’ pasture with their herds and may be spotted during tours.
