On June 5th and 22nd, 2010, two baby Scimitar-horned Oryx were born in quick succession at Tama Zoo. The first to be born was a male, named "Mondo." This was the third birth for the mother, "Montblanc."

The next puppy born was a female, and we named her "Sarah." It was her mother Saffron's first litter. Since Saffron is Montblanc's son, Mondo is Saffron's younger brother, and Sarah is Montblanc's granddaughter.

At Tama Zoo, only male white Scimitar-horned Oryx had been born recently. Sarah is the first female born in about three and a half years since Saffron was born.
On the morning of the birth, when I checked the enclosure, both Mondo and Sara had been born. They were nursing from their mother and were able to stand on their own, and they seemed healthy, so I was relieved.

The day after their birth, their weight was measured and their sex was determined. Color tags were also attached to their ears for individual identification. When the staff reached out their hands, Mondo was so energetic that he tried to jump away, but Sarah was completely at their mercy, as if her legs had given out. The two had contrasting reactions.

Both cubs made their debut in the small enclosure on their second day of life, but for the first two or three days, they were often seen sitting still and resting. During these times, Montblanc would often nudge his cub Mondo with his nose to encourage him to stand up, while Saffron seemed to quietly watch over Sarah.

The children are gradually moving away from their mothers and expanding their range of activity. Now, it's common to see them running around.

The baby's body is a light brown color, and it doesn't yet have its proud saber-shaped horns. At first, the horns look like black beans on its head, but now they have grown to about 4-5 centimeters in length and resemble the horns of a demon.

The small enclosure at the oryx home to the mother and calf is located in the center of Eurasian Moorhen, and you should be able to see the calves scurrying around even from a distance. The two mother-calf pairs are in separate enclosures. It will probably take some time before they can be placed in the herd.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how these two puppies, each with their own distinct personality, will grow up.

Top photo: Weight measurement the day after birth (Sarah)
In the photo: Giraffe are watching Mondo, who has come out into the enclosure for the first time.
Photo below: Mondo, 15 days old

[Tama Zoo, Tama Zoological Park]

(July 8, 2010)