Reindeer Fawn Born at Brookfield Zoo

LA GRANGE, IL - One of Brookfield Zoo's reindeers, Bunny, gave birth to a male fawn on the morning of April 12.

The zoo said the last reindeer birth at the zoo was in 1980.

Bunny and Karl, the sire, arrived at Brookfield Zoo in 2015 and 2016, respectively, and are among the featured animals in Hamill Family Wild Encounters, which opened in 2015.

According to a release from the zoo, the unnamed fawn weighs about 7 pounds but will grow quickly from drinking its mother’s rich milk. He was also up and walking within an hour of his birth. A day-old fawn is capable of outrunning a human.

Gestation for reindeer is between 6.5 and 8 months. Fawns are born with dark fur that acts as camouflage and absorbs radiant heat from the sun. At about two to three months, they begin to shed as lighter-colored fur grows in. Also, little antler buds will begin developing at a few months of age.

Zoo guests can see Bunny and her fawn along with Karl and Crystal, another member of the reindeer herd, in their outdoor habitat.

Photos provided by Brookfield Zoo.