THE ZOO

Giraffe Image Name: Giraffe
DublinZoo_BabyRhino 001 Image Name: DublinZoo_BabyRhino 001 Description: REPRO FREE 9/5/2013 Dublin Zoo is celebrating one of the most exciting arrivals of 2013 so far, a male southern white rhinoceros calf. The calf, who is yet to be named, was born to mother Ashanti on Friday 26th April and weighs approximately 50kgs. The newborn is Ashanti’s third calf and is another significant success for Dublin Zoo as part of the European Endangered Species Programme established to assist the survival of the near threatened southern white rhinoceros. It is estimated that only 20,000 of these animals exist in the wild, the majority are found in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Kenya. Numbers are declining rapidly due to poaching as a result of a demand for horn. Helen Clarke-Bennet, team leader of the African Plains said, “We are absolutely thrilled with the new arrival. This male is a significant birth because he will play an important role for future zoo breeding programmes.” Dublin Zoo would like to invite children to suggest a name for the newest arrival based on his African origin. Tune into Breakfast with Hector on 2fm on Monday 13th & Tuesday 14th of May from 7am until 9am to find out how to enter and for details on the exciting prize for the winning name! ©Patrick Bolger
Abyssinian ground hornbill Image Name: Abyssinian ground hornbill

Broadcast Details: Thursday 24th April, 7.00pm

This week, a vital operation is needed for a young giraffe and a rhino calf joins his mum for his first clumsy run out in the African plains section

Episode: 3

A baby Abyssinian Ground Hornbill needs a helping hand from Eddie and his team;

A vital operation is needed for a young giraffe with severe pain in her leg;

And a rhino calf meets his dad for the first time, and to everyone’s delight, joins his mum for his first clumsy run out in the African plains section.

About The Zoo

Now in its fifth season, The Zoo will once again bring to life the emotion and passion the zookeepers of Dublin Zoo have for the animals they care for in a dramatic and highly entertaining new series.

This year’s show features lots of new animals and their stories, from the arrival of the exotic and highly-endangered okapi to the birth of baby monkeys – a white-faced saki baby and pygmy marmoset twins.

Other stories include how keepers care for an iguana with a sore limb and how a rhinoceros calf gets on when introduced to the rest of the rhinoceros herd.

There are lots of births celebrated in the show such as red-ruffed lemurs, Abyssinian ground hornbills and white crowned mangabeys. Other animals featured include giraffes, zebras, ostrich, Indian blackbucks and Amur tigers amongst others.

The new series also leaves the Phoenix Park to follow the zookeepers as they visit conservation projects funded and supported by Dublin Zoo. Keepers will travel from the nest sites of barn owl chicks deep in the Irish countryside to the rainforests of Brazil to visit highly endangered golden lion tamarins in their native habitat.