Spirited zebra brings new life to Werribee Open Range Zoo
A courageous zebra, who defied the odds to survive a life-threatening tumour, has successfully welcomed her first baby into the world at Werribee Open Range Zoo.
New mum, Furaha [pronounced: Fu-ra-ha], gave birth to the female foal on Mother’s Day [Sunday, May 9], just two years after undergoing extensive medical treatment for a malignant tumour that grew behind her right leg.
Following her successful recovery from surgery to remove the tumour, Furaha is now thriving on the Zoo’s savannah alongside her spirited five-day-old baby and the rest of the zebra herd, including protective father, Melako.
Werribee Open Range Zoo Senior Veterinarian Natalie Rourke said Furaha is displaying all the positive maternal behaviours that keepers and vets would hope to see from a first-time mum
“Furaha had a natural birth and we were delighted when we saw the foal exploring the savannah last Sunday morning,” Ms Rourke said.
“Furaha has a really lovely nature, and she’s displaying very good mothering behaviour. She’s remaining very close to her foal whilst also keeping her at a safe distance away from the other animals.
“The baby is also very healthy. She’s been suckling and her coat is looking absolutely magnificent.”
Following her successful recovery from surgery to remove the tumour, Furaha is now thriving on the Zoo’s savannah alongside her spirited five-day-old baby and the rest of the zebra herd, including protective father, Melako.
Ms Rourke described Furaha’s story and medical recovery as remarkable.
“Furaha underwent extensive surgery for her condition and required three months of very close management and monitoring to recover,” Ms Rourke said. “So, it’s super rewarding to see her mother her first foal after overcoming her health issues.”
Visitors to Werribee Open Range Zoo are able to see Furaha and the Zoo’s newest arrival while on one of the savannah bus tours, which run throughout the day and are included in entry.
Savannah keepers have named the zebra foal Falah [pronounced: Fa-lah], which means happiness and success in Arabic – one of the many dialects spoken throughout Africa.
Plains zebras are native to Africa and are classified as near-threatened in the wild. Their population of 250,000 is in decline, with habitat destruction, poaching and competition with agriculture threating the species.
Anyone can support zebra conservation through Zoos Victoria’s Beads for Wildlife initiative. Funds raised through the sale of handmade beadwork via Zoos Victoria’s retail stores go towards protecting the rangelands where zebras reside in Northern Kenya.
Zoo members and visitors are reminded that all tickets to the Zoo must be pre-booked at zoo.org.au and asked to follow the current COVIDSafe directions at www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus