Adorable baby animal on the brink of extinction is born at Iowa zoo
Henri, a male addax, also known as a white antelope, was welcomed to the herd at Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines Thursday.
Henri was born to his parents, Adeline and Po, who were both relocated to the zoo from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Addax Species Survival Plan for a breeding recommendation, WHO13 reported.
There are fewer than approximately 100 Addax left in the wild, making them ' critically endangered species,' the zoo said in a Facebook post.
'Henri might be hard to spot while he's resting. Addax calves often hide or "nest" when they're young. Be sure to say hi if you see him!,' they added alongside precious pictures of him exploring the zoo grounds.
He is the second Addax calf born at Blank Park Zoo as his older sister Bonnie was born in 2023, the outlet said.
Addaxes are native to the Sahara Desert and are known for their large, spiral horns and pale skin.
Male addaxes can grow up to 41-45 inches tall while females can get to 37-43 inches.
Although they are known for their light colored skin, it is known to change to a greyish-brown color in the winter.
The white or sandy blonde shade typically comes back in the summer for the species.
Anne Shimerdla, the President and CEO of Blank Park Zoo, shared her joy in welcoming Henri into the world, especially because he is part of an endangered species.
'Every birth like Henri's is a step forward for a species on the brink of extinction,' Shimerdla told the outlet.
'It underscores our ongoing dedication to species conservation and education. We hope that this, along with our temporary transformation into Dino Park Zoo this summer, will inspire guests to take action to save animals from extinction.'
The zoo is set to open a new site, Dino Park Zoo, in July, according to the website.
The exhibit is 'a prehistoric experience 65 million years in the making' that will allow visitors to 'walk among 15 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs and explore dino-themed exhibits, activities, and events that bring the ancient world roaring to life.'
Although Henri's birth is especially exciting for the zoo, he is not the only new arrival welcomed this summer.
Just days before Henri was born, two bamboo sharks, named Snoopy and Pluto, made their debut in the zoo's big reef aquarium in the Discovery Center Home.
Henri was born to his parents, Adeline and Po, who were both relocated to the zoo from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Addax Species Survival Plan for a breeding recommendation
Bamboo sharks, also known as longtail carpet sharks, feed on bottom-dwellers and smaller fish.
Zoo officials said their births marked the first time the zoo has ever housed sharks.
A tiger shovelnose catfish was also recently welcomed to the Amazon aquarium in the zoo's Discovery Center.
And just about a week before the sharks were born, a new rhino arrived at Blank Park Zoo.
On June 11, a four-year-old eastern black rhino named AJ joined the crew after his transfer from Cincinnati Zoo.
AJ, which is short for Ajani Joe, stands for 'he who wins the struggle' in Swahili.
Guests are welcome to see all the new animals and more at the zoo, which is open daily.
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