Norfolk Zoo Welcomes Athena, a Zebra Foal

Norfolk  – The Norfolk Zoo welcomed its newest edition, a zebra foal born last week.

Abby, the 16-year-old Hartmann’s mountain zebra, gave birth to “Athena” on Monday.

It’s the fourth baby for Abby and the third for father Zack.

Zookeepers chose the name Athena based on the tradition of choosing a name starting with an “A” after mom, Abby.

Athena weighs 80 pounds and stands approximately three feet tall.

“Abby is a great, experienced mom and is taking good care of baby Athena,” said Dr. Colleen Clabbers, the Zoo’s Veterinarian.

Female zebras produce a single foal every one to three years, with a gestation of about one year. Athena will stay close to her mother for eight to twelve months before being weaned.

Athena and her mom Abbey (Photo courtesy Norfolk Zoo)

About Hartmann’s mountain zebra

There are three species of zebras. Hartmann’s mountain zebra inhabit rugged, broken, and mountainous areas up to 2,000 meters with a rich diversity of grass species and perennial water sources. Their hooves extremely fast to compensate for the heavy wear endured on the rocky terrain where they live. They will dig for water if it is not available using the front hooves. The small pools left behind serve as watering holes for smaller mammals and birds.