Tierpark Chemnitz: Offspring among the Somali wild asses
On 11 April, Somali wild ass mare "Matana", who was born at Chemnitz Zoo in 2003, gave birth to a female foal. The keepers gave it the name "Thalia". Mother and child are doing well and can be seen together with the young animal from the previous year in the outdoor enclosure.
Somali wild asses are an ancestral form of our domestic donkeys and are now one of the most endangered animal species. They are native to the desert-like and mountainous landscapes of north-east Africa.
They are only kept in a few German zoos and animal parks. The species is listed in a European conservation breeding programme, which currently lists a total of only 190 individuals in 35 enclosures in Europe.
This year at Chemnitz Zoo, the Bennett's kangaroos and pygmy goats had offspring at the end of February, the Bactrian camels at Easter and the winker frogs and pygmy hippos at the beginning of April.
Opening hours of the zoo:
9am - 7pm, last admission 6pm