Uncommon Births at Mulhouse Zoo: Spotlight on Two Endangered Species

Patagonian sea lions, Eden and Ava, born on July 12 and 16, 2024. They quickly attracted the attention of keepers and visitors to the Mulhouse zoo. After spending several weeks in the inner box with their mothers, they were finally able to discover their new place of life, the outer pool. And it was only on August 13, 2024 that their identification was carried out, so the caregivers confirmed their good health and vitality.

Séverine Beurier, veterinarian specializing in carnivorous animals, expressed her satisfaction to local media France 3 “ babies bring life to the pool. We have a little female of two and a half years old, for her it is much better because she was starting to get bored with adults. There, we noticed that she plays easily with the two babies”.

A great pride therefore for the Mulhouse zoo, in fact, this double birth is exceptional even on a European scale. This arrival is all the more important for the European Breeding Program, especially when we know that this year, 6 Patagonian sea lions were born in European zoos, 4 of which are in France.

This species is certainly not included on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but remains under surveillance, due to the fragility of its populations in the wild.

The delicate breeding of musk oxen

Alongside the sea lions, the summer of 2024 at Mulhouse Zoo was also marked by the birth of two musk oxen, Einar and Malka, on June 7 and 26 respectively. From the moment they were born, the zoo's veterinarians took specific measures to ensure their well-being, particularly regarding their living space and diet. Indeed, these animals, native to the Arctic, are particularly sensitive to their environment.

Ovibos moschatusfrom their scientific name, the newborns were therefore first placed in interior boxes, in order to protect them from the summer heat, before adapting the ground of their living space, without vegetation in order to recall the ground of the Arctic and prevent them from getting sick from ingesting herbs.

Small musk oxen feed on mother's milk, which is particularly nutritious, allowing them to gain up to 500 grams per day. As adults, they can reach a weight of 410 kilos, as the Mulhouse zoo recalls.

The role of zoological parks in the preservation of species and births

Although muskoxen are not classified as a threatened species by the IUCN, they remain highly exposed to this risk, due to global warming causing the loss of their natural habitat, notably the melting of ice in the Arctic. .

In line with its commitment to the protection of endangered species, these births are an excellent opportunity to raise public awareness of the conservation of Arctic species for the Mulhouse zoo. Benoît Quintard, interim director of the park, recalls the importance of these events for the work of raising public awareness in local media, “these births are a wonderful gateway to addressing broader issues, such as global warming and its effects on species in the far North ”. The park has also installed electronic transponders on muskoxen in order to monitor their progress and offer them the best means of conservation.

Moreover, thanks to this work, the zoological park was also able to record the birth of three Socorro doves (Zenaida graysoni)a species now extinct in the wild according to an IUCN report dating from 2020.

A lasting commitment to biodiversity

All these births highlight the important commitment of the very old Mulhouse zoological park (created in 1868) to the protection of endangered species.

Indeed, since 1950 the zoo has become a center for research, preservation and breeding of endangered species. With this in mind, he opened the lemur building. Since then, he has coordinated global conservation programs and welcomed endangered animals.

Sources : France 3, Mulhouse Zoo, IUCN, MNHN