APR 29, 11:34 AM

The National Zoo’s Lesser Kudu Family Just Grew By One

Jenny Gathright https://twitter.com/jennygathright



Say hello to the month-old lesser kudu calf at the National Zoo.

Gil Myers / Smithsonian National Zoo

There’s been a lot of attention on a certain sleepy baby at the Smithsonian National Zoo: the panda Xiao Qi Ji, who visitors can sign up to see when the zoo reopens on May 21.

Now there’s another new animal baby to celebrate as well. Cheetah Conservation Station keepers at the Smithsonian National Zoo announced Thursday that a new male lesser kudu calf was born there last month.

“As the newborn kudu acclimates to his habitat, visitors may be able to view him and his family exploring their surroundings,” the National Zoo wrote in a press release announcing the birth.

Rogue, the calf’s 7-year-old mother, gave birth to the calf — who remains nameless — on March 28. The next day, zookeepers discovered the calf and found him to be “healthy and strong.” Rogue, along with the calf’s 10-year-old father, Garret, have two other children: Kushukuru and Toba, who were both born in 2019. A spokesperson for the National Zoo said the animal care team is currently researching names for the calf and people can stay tuned for updates through the zoo’s social media channels.

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