Zoo Babies Abound This Spring Across California

Spring is in the air, and while the world waits for ababy giraffe to slide into the world on live webcast, across California, zoo borns are ramping up to be born or are taking their first steps out into the sunny skies after winter births. The cute factor is high at zoos all across the state, but especially in Southern California.

Zookeepers and animal experts from San Diego Zoo to the Living Desert, from Safari Park to The LA Zoo, are showing their favorite new faces and encouraging visitors to come and see the beauty of nature of far-away places right in your own backyard.

Palm Desert's The Living Desert recently celebrated its newest addition, a jaguar cub born on Jan. 26.

"Animal care experts had been on maternity watch awaiting a possible January birth," the zoo said. "The jaguar den was arranged in the off-exhibit area and was made complete with installation of a new jaguar cam. Staff have been able to closely monitor Magia and her cub’s development, and now the public can join in the viewing too."

You can still watch them with the Living Desert's Jag Cam.

The baby cheetah cubs at the San Diego Safari Park, known as Purple and Yellow, currently are hanging out in their Nairobi Station nursery.

Often seen at play, these two lovable characters enjoy frolicking around their play area and are 56 days old. As for catnaps? The nursery staff reports these two furry sisters only take short naps during the day.

"Nursery staff report that these cubs play almost constantly," a spokesperson for the Safari Park said.

Have you ever seen a baby sloth? This baby Linnes two-toed sloth was born at San Diego Zoo over the winter. And you thought your baby took long naps.

Back out to the Palm Desert, Living Desert celebrated its baby Addax, often seen running and playing along with his Addax family members.

But by far, the bouncing baby bongo at the Los Angeles Zoo is causing quite a ruckus in the cute-factor club.

January of 2017 rang in with the birth of the first baby bongo in more than 20 years. The bouncing Bongo baby boy calf was born to the LA Zoo late in the month to his 5-year-old, first-time mother, according to the zoo.

The rare eastern bongo antelope of Kenya has long been an exhibit staple of the LA Zoo, but the zoo recently made breeding the species a priority due to dwindling numbers in the wild.

Bongo calves are typically born in December or January, weighing in at 40 pounds and able to follow their mother shortly after birth.

“This (bongo) birth is a true testament to the work zoos are doing to sustain critically endangered species,” said Josh Sisk, curator of mammals at the Los Angeles Zoo. “Babies like this little bongo calf engage visitors and allow the Zoo to spread their conservation message. It is our hope that he will one day father offspring of his own.”

Parents bring their own babies to the Los Angeles Zoo to meet the new babies, such as this little cutie, Madelena, who was learning all about the bongo from her mother.

YouTube photo, baby cheetah, San Diego Safari Park