Toronto 
Toronto Zoo has welcomed a baby Bactrian camel.
Toronto Zoo/YouTube
The prominent Canadian institution focused on conservation, sustainability, animal care, and science announced the birth of a female Bactrian camel calf today. Wild Bactrian camels are listed as a Critically Endangered species.
Suria, the eight-year-old mother, welcomed her second offspring, marking the growth of the zoo’s camel population to six. Toronto Zoo says that although nursing has proven to be a challenge, Wildlife Care and Wildlife Health staff have implemented strategies to assist Suria and her calf.
Per the news release, the pregnancy was confirmed via ultrasound last spring, and Suria remained calm throughout the 13-month gestation period. Currently, the mother and calf reside with another female camel, Jozy, in the Bactrian Camel Habitat within the zoo’s Eurasia Wilds.
If you visit Toronto Zoo within the next 30 days, the Zoo says that the initial 30 days are crucial for bonding and development; the pair may not always be visible to the public in the Eurasia Wilds. The zoo staff will continue to monitor the calf and Suria during this period closely.
Toronto Zoo’s Wildlife Care staff is planning to introduce the baby camel to other members of the herd, Tilly and Jamarcus, in the coming weeks. The father, a seven-year-old male named Zip, will be kept separate in another area of the habitat.
Regardless of whether you can or cannot catch a glimpse of the baby camel, make plans to visit the zoo on Mother’s Day and celebrate mothers of all types.
