New muskox calf born at Point Defiance Zoo
Charlotte the musk ox gave birth to a healthy heifer on September 7.
TACOMA, Wash. – The newest resident at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma has arrived.
Charlotte musk birth according to the zoo, for a healthy female calf on Thursday morning, September 7.
According to the zoo, the day-old calf is starting to roam around the grassy habitat of the zoo’s Arctic Tundra and cling tightly to its mother. The zoo’s veterinary team performed a health check on the mother and calf on Friday morning.
Veterinarian Kadie Anderson said: “The calf appears to be healthy and is gradually getting better on its feet.” “She’s super cute and off to a good start.”
According to the zoo, Muskoxen are herds of animals that roam the tundra and savannas of Greenland, Alaska and northern Canada. Almost immediately after birth, the calf can walk and keep up with his herd.
The new calf weighs about 20 pounds and does not yet have horns. The zoo said the horns will grow over the next year. The calf’s mother Charlotte weighed 671 pounds and the calf’s father Hudson weighed 757 pounds.
According to the zoo, Hudson was born in 2016 and arrived at Point Defiance Zoo as a calf.
Telena, the zoo’s curator, said: “Charlotte is very attentive and takes very good care of her calf. “Over time, the calf will become more confident and the pair will explore more of their environment together.”
Zookeepers, to prepare both Charlotte and the new calf for comfort, are reaching the perimeter of the habitat and providing a mixture of leaves, twigs and willow twigs for both.
