Extinct in the wild - four calves born at zoo (From Wirral Globe)

Extinct in the wild - four calves born at zoo

9:30am Saturday 2nd August 2008 in News By Globe correspondent

CHESTER Zoo has enjoyed a baby boom with the arrival of four Scimitar-Horned Oryx calves.

The calves will play a vital part in the conservation of the species, who are listed as extinct in the wild.

Habitat loss and over hunting are the main threats to the species who were once hunted for their horns, almost to extinction, having previosly occupied the whole Sahara desert.

Tim Rowlands, the zoo’s assistant curator of higher vertebrates, was delighted to welcome the new additions which were all born between May and June.

He said: “These four Oryx are very important as they will play a vital part in the conservation of the species. This is a new bloodline and as they are all males they will eventually go on to form new breeding herds at other collections.”

The youngster’s coats are currently brown, their faces have white markings and they have small horns coming through. Eventually their coat will be white with a reddish-brown chest and black markings on their face. Their horns will grow to about a metre in length and will curve backwards.

"This is a new bloodline and as they're all males they will eventually go on to form new breeding herds at other collections."

Tim Rowlands

Chester Zoo is home to 13 Scimitar-Horned Oryx, including the new additions.

They can be found on the west side of the zoo next to the Grevy’s Zebra.

All four calves were fathered by male Oryx Ronnie, who arrived at the zoo last year. The birth of one of the calves will be followed by viewers of the new Zoo Days series, which starts on Five on September 29 and which will once again give viewers a behind the scenes look at Chester Zoo.