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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's Hogle Zoo has announced the birth of its newest furry friend, but it needs help naming him.
One of the Hartmann's mountain zebras, Ziva, gave birth to a "zippy little striped bundle of joy" on Friday, Jan. 15, according to a news release from the zoo. The statement says the baby boy started standing just 30 minutes after he was born and was walking shortly thereafter.
"The two have spent this time bonding and the little guy has been getting acquainted with his neighbors on the Savanna," zoo officials said in the release.
The zoo said the baby is not taking time with his father, Scooby; male zebras are not involved in raising their offspring.
Now the zoo is taking name suggestions for the newest addition on Facebook where, beginning Thursday, followers will be asked to submit their name suggestions in the comment section.
The unnamed foal is the zoo's seventh mountain zebra and the fourth zebra to be born at Hogle Zoo. He will soon join the exhibit's other zebras: Zoey, Ziva, Poppy, Zibby, Clementine. Ziggy, who is the father of three zebras born at the zoo, was sent to another zoo before Scooby arrived, according to Hogle Zoo spokesperson Erica Hansen
According to the zoo's website, these zebras are often seen chasing and racing each other or playing challenge games that consist of nose-to-nose contact and mutual grooming.
The baby zebra's official debut to the public will be Thursday at 10 a.m.
Correction: A previous version cited the zoo's website saying Ziggy was still at Utah's Hogle Zoo, zoo officials confirmed he was sent to another zoo and replaced by Scooby.
