Animal Babies
OH, BABY! NEW FACES AT THE ZOO
Here are some of our most recent births and updates on how the little ones are doing
Sloth Bear
Hello, Darling Bowie!
We are so excited that little Bowie has been introduced to the outdoor sloth bear habitat with her mom, Kushali.
She is exploring everything and learning critical bear skills from mom. Currently Bowie’s outdoor time is weather-dependent. When it’s warm enough she and Kushali can choose whether or not to go out, so there is no set schedule to her outdoor play time yet.
Stay tuned for updates:
Bear cub Bowie ventures outdoors for the first time! Sloth bear makes public debut this weekend
Bowie the sloth bear cub, and mama Kushali, have been introduced to the outdoor habitat
Sweet footage of Bowie the sloth bear cub and her mom Kushali in the maternity den.
Our precious sloth bear cub has reached a new milestone—baby Bowie took her first steps!
Kushali gave birth to a precious sloth bear cub on January 8, 2025
Hello darling Bowie! Newborn sloth bear cub named in honor of birthday twin (the late) David Bowie
Snow Leopards
The snowstorm trio is full of shenanigans!
Marai gave birth to triplets in May 2024 and the three cubs have been delighting visitors with their play seshes and wrestle matches. Watching them grow from tiny little furballs to fierce cubs has been a delight. Marai has been a rockstar snow leopard mama and taught them how to leap, climb, tackle and daintily shred their meat.
If you haven’t seen Phyllis, Lenny and Raya, stop by snow leopards in the mornings (when they are most active) and spend some precious time with these little firecrackers.
Stay tuned for updates:
What do snow leopards do when no one is looking?
Snow leopard cubs on their first snow day!
Adorable snow storm hits Seattle!
Snow leopard cubs make their big, bouncy, pouncy public debut—and they all have names!
Snow Leopard Cubs Open Their Eyes for the First Time
Pawsitively Precious: Zoo Welcomes Snow Leopard Cubs
Gorilla
Abeo thriving at new home
In a move to ensure he is raised by gorillas and grows as a gorilla, Woodland Park Zoo made a critical decision to move Abeo to Louisville Zoo so he can be raised by a surrogate gorilla mom and socialized with a multigenerational family of gorillas.
Today, Abeo and his foster mom, Kweli are thriving together in Louisville Zoo’s award-winning Gorilla Forest. Kweli was selected due to her successful experience fostering.
Abeo was born June 28 at Woodland Park Zoo to Akenji, a first-time mom, and dad Kwame. Because Akenji hadn’t shown any interest in caring for her newborn, Abeo was placed under round-the-clock care; moreover, progress wasn’t fast enough to introduce him to a foster mom at the zoo so, for his well-being, Abeo was moved to a new home.
“All of us at Woodland Park Zoo are celebrating that baby Abeo is now in the arms of gorilla Kweli. This is how it should be for a baby gorilla—in the direct care of a gorilla and socialized with a family of gorillas,” said Woodland Park Zoo Interim Senior Director of Animal Care Martin Ramirez. “Our zoo family is so grateful to Louisville Zoo and their dedicated gorilla experts. All the way from the Pacific Northwest, we and our community will continue to enjoy watching Abeo grow to be a confident and secure gorilla.”
Catch up on Abeo news:
Baby gorilla is accepted by foster mom at Louisville Zoo: Baby Abeo makes his debut to the public
It’s a boy! Gorilla Akenji gives birth—newborn is currently being hand-reared by gorilla staff
Birth watch begins for pregnant gorilla—Akenji’s baby could come at any time now!
Gazelle
Dawa is now pronking on the savanna!
Dawa delighted everyone when she literally bounced into stardom with her viral pronking video! Pronking—sometimes called stotting—is a kind of four-legged bounce or jump. Gazelles are known for this special kind of gait and, as you can see in the video (watch ‘til the end so you don’t miss a moment!) little Dawa was eager to show that she mastered her pronking technique even when she was only a couple weeks old!
Dawa is now about as big as mom, Blossom, and hanging out on the savanna with the zebra and giraffe. Dawa comes from the Swahili word meaning “medicine” or “cure” … the perfect moniker for a sweet calf who has provided a big dose of joy and excitement!
Get the scoop on adorable Dawa! This growing gazelle is a big dose of joy!
Introducing Dawa! This little gazelle calf provides a big dose of joy!
WAYS TO HELP
Celebrate these little ones with conservation action
