CONSERVATION WORKERS USE SPECIAL SUITS TO TAKE CARE OF BABY ZEBRAS
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (with 40 years of pioneering experience in Kenya and Africa) is a place that recently rescued a baby zebra that they named Diria. They explained that unfortunately, she lost her mother after lions attacked her.
Through their official Facebook account they usually update the conditions of the animals they care for, Aime (shelter representative) stated: “We have no further updates at this time other than a list of experienced caretakers who continue to look after her, which includes providing food for milk, ensuring she has a warm stable to sleep in at night and a protective ‘mother’ presence during the day,” the caretaker said. However, she also ventured to explain a little something that caught the eye of Diria’s precious images: the caregivers’ clothing.
“Baby zebras need to be able to recognize their mother from birth to survive. To know her mother’s stripes, a zebra mother often separates herself and her baby from the herd so that the baby can recognize and follow her coat, smell and call. Once the baby can identify its mother, the duo will return to the herd,” said Amie, a representative of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
“In the wild, calves are raised only by their mother, but in our Reintegration Unit, it’s not practical for a single person to raise one if they go on annual vacation. Therefore, to avoid this fragile impression of the newborn on a person, our Guardians wear a specially made striped coat so that Diria will recognize them as her ‘mother’, regardless of who is wearing it. A team of caregivers can provide Diria with the 24/7 specialized care she needs to give her the best chance of survival,” Amie continued.
The special clothing helps gain confidence and makes it easier for the animal to adapt, a gesture that is simply beautiful and speaks volumes about the care they take of the species here.