The Chattanooga Zoo has said goodbye to Maliha the snow leopard and Frank the dromedary camel, and welcomed two female capybaras and another camel.
Maliha the snow leopard was transferred to Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, R.I. on June 2, where she has been recommended for breeding with another snow leopard as part of the Species Survival Plan. Maliha is the second female cub of parents, Kasimir and Czar. Their first daughter, Renji, was also transferred for breeding per the SSP. “We are so sad to see Maliha go, but we feel very blessed to be part of the snow leopard conservation efforts,” says CEO and President, Darde Long.
In the same day, the Zoo received two female capybaras. This seven-month old sister pair came from the Little Rock Zoo in Little Rock, Ar. The capybaras, yet to be named, will be in quarantine for 30 days and then will be housed with the Zoo’s existing capybara, Fran. The Chattanooga Zoo will host a naming contest for the two capybaras shortly before they are exhibited.
A week later, on June 9, the Chattanooga Zoo said goodbye to Frank the dromedary camel and said hello to Bradley the dromedary camel. Bradley, four-years-old, came to the Chattanooga Zoo from Jo-Don Farms in Franksville, Wi., where he was trained primarily to be a riding camel. Frank, 21 years old, left the Chattanooga Zoo to retire at Jo-Dons Farms. Bradley began giving camel rides to visitors shortly after he arrived, and is fitting well into the animal collection, said zoo officials.
In the month of May, through the Wildlife Rehabilitation program, the Chattanooga Zoo received a Nine-Banded Armadillo. This two-month-old male armadillo came to the rehab program due to bring orphaned in the Chattanooga area. After TWRA approval, the armadillo will make the Chattanooga Zoo its forever home. The animal is currently being held in quarantine and will soon be housed with the Zoo’s resident Two-Toed Sloth in the Forests of the World exhibit.