Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, a non-profit organization that has worked for the conservation and protection of wildlife and habitats in Kenya, previously shared a Facebook post about Diria, one of their rescues.
“A herd of goats played their part in saving this baby zebra’s life. It is still a delicate time for this orphaned male zebra who when only a few days old, if that, endured a near death experience with lions, that sadly left him orphaned,” the organization wrote on Facebook.
Amie, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s representative, told Bored Panda: “We don’t have any further updates at this time other than a roster of experienced keepers continue to care for him, which includes providing milk feeds, ensuring he has a warm stable to sleep in at night, and a protective ‘mother’ presence during the day.point 468 |
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Explaining about keepers wearing special suits, Amie said: “Baby zebras (called foals) need to be able to recognise their mother from birth to survive.
“To learn its mothers stripes, a mother zebra will often separate herself and her baby from the herd so that the baby can imprint—essentially recognise and follow her coat, smell, and call. Once the calf can identify its mother, the duo will return to the herd.”
“In the wild, calves will be raised by their mother alone, but at our Reintegration Unit, it isn’t practical for a single individual to hand-raise Diria should they go on annual leave.
“Therefore, to avoid this fragile new-born imprinting on one person, our Keepers don a specially made striped coat that Diria will recognise as his ‘mum,’ regardless of who is wearing it. A team of caregivers can give Diria the specialist 24/7 care he needs to give him the very best chance of survival.”
When asked how others can help Diria and other animals, Amie encouraged people to donate. “Our mission is to continue to protect and preserve wildlife in Kenya and in practice, that means caring for individuals like Diria, which is wholly funded by donations. During these worrying times, we will need support more than ever to ensure that our activities continue.”
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Replaced!