Zoo Atlanta welcomes new plains zebra named Wembe
Wembe the plains zebra (Zoo Atlanta)
ATLANTA - Zoo Atlanta is welcoming a new set of stripes to Georgia.
On Tuesday, 17-year-old plains zebra Wembe arrived at the zoo to move into his new home in the zoo's African Savanna.
After a quarantine period behind the scenes, Wembe is expected to be out in the next month.
Being social animals, the zoo expects to bring in a companion for Wembe later this fall.
Wembe and his companion will join reticulated giraffes Calvin and Lennard, bontebok Casper, and ostriches Purple and Orange in the Savanna.
"Zoo Atlanta is very excited to welcome Wembe. When we think of the wildlife of the grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa, it’s hard to think of an animal more recognizable or iconic than the zebra," said Jennifer Mickelberg, Ph.D., the zoo's vice president of Collections and Conservation. "The plains zebra is one of many species that are not yet classified as endangered, but tell us an important story now of the steps we can take to halt further population declines. These are magnificent animals we want to see forever in abundance in their native savannas."
Zebra populations in their native lands of sub-Saharan Africa have been in decline due to hunting and the increased land use by farmers. The plains zebra is now classified as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
You can learn more about Wembe and get updates on when he'll make his first appearances in the habitat on Zoo Atlanta's website.