Baby zebra foal born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Despite Walt Disney World’s temporary closure, Disney’s Animal Care team has their hands full providing care to thousands of animals — including the newest addition to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, a Hartmann’s Zebra foal!

The foal was born early in the morning on Saturday, March 21 to first-time-mom, Heidi… and it’s a girl! She doesn’t have a name just yet, but weighs about 65 pounds and is very strong, as she was able to stand within 30 minutes of being born.

Take a look at a video that Disney shared of the creature’s first few moments below:

In a few weeks, after mom and baby develop a strong bond, the two will be introduced to the Kilimanjaro Safaris savanna.

The foal was born as part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP) program, which is overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and ensures responsible breeding and genetic diversity of thousands of species of animals. The new arrival marks the third zebra birth at Walt Disney World just this year.

Hartmann’s mountain zebras are normally found in sub-Saharan Africa and are a vulnerable species, due to habitat loss and hunting.

To learn more about zebras and other species of animals that Disney is working to protect at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, visit DisneyAnimals.com.