Advent Foal at the Zoo

Although spring and summer are the primary seasons for the arrival of new animals, births occur throughout the year, even in winter. Just last Thursday, one of our mares, Romy, gave birth to an adorable zebra foal. The little one spent its first few days in the stable, in a separate area apart from the other zebras, naturally in the company of its mother. Last  Thursday, the caretakers allowed the pair into the outdoor enclosure for the first time, where some lucky visitors had the chance to see the foal. While the foal won’t yet be visible in the enclosure all the time, those visiting the zebra exhibit between approximately 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM may have the opportunity to spot Romy and her foal during their daily exercise period.

Now just over a week old, the energetic foal is already lively and fast, sprinting and frolicking around the enclosure but always returning to Romy’s reassuring proximity. As is typical for young zebras, the foal has a much fluffier coat compared to adults, and its stripes are brownish rather than black. This is entirely normal at this stage, as young zebras are covered in what is known as foal coat, which provides extra insulation to support their still-developing thermoregulation.

Romy, born in 2008, has been a resident of the Budapest Zoo since 2010 and is considered a highly experienced mother, having successfully raised numerous foals over the past 14 years. Her previous offspring, Zuri, born in May 2023, still resides at the zoo. As with all of Romy’s foals, the father of this latest arrival is Zucchero, a 14-year-old stallion. While the foal’s gender has yet to be definitively determined, initial observations suggest it may be a female. The decision on how to name the foal will be made in the coming weeks.

Of the three zebra species within the horse family, our zoo houses plains zebras (Equus burchelli), specifically the East African subspecies known as the Böhm’s zebra (Equus burchelli boehmi), often referred to as Grant’s zebra in English-speaking regions. In the past, other zebra species, including Grévy’s zebras and Chapman’s zebras, have also been part of our collection, though never simultaneously. Zebras have been a part of the Budapest Zoo since 1883, and the first zebra foal born here in 1930.