Disney’s Animal Kingdom announced the recent births of two female Grevy’s zebra foals today.

The first foal was born April 26 to Layee, and the second was born May 1 to Zuri. Currently, the foals are nursing and bonding with their moms backstage. All will join the herd on Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail overlook soon.

Originating from Africa, Grevy’s zebras are the most endangered species of zebra, with approximately 2,500 in the world.

These zebra births mark another success for Disney’s animal care experts and the Species Survival Plan, a program through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums that helps ensure a diverse, healthy population of threatened and endangered species. These zebra foals are making an important contribution toward the worldwide conservation and understanding of the Grevy’s species, which will help ensure a future generation for these endangered animals.

Disney’s commitment to the care and conservation of Grevy’s zebras goes beyond the Animal Kingdom theme park. Through the Imperiled Species Conservation Project (ISCP), which gives cast members the opportunity to personally support the species they love through existing conservation programs, Disney has made contributions toward the care and protection of Grevy’s zebras in the wild. Recently, two of zebra keepers traveled to Kenya through the ISCP to participate in the Great Grevy’s Rally, a population survey used to document the total number of Grevy’s zebras in the wild.

The conservation work with Grevy’s zebras contributed by the cast is just the beginning. Later this year, several other cast members will travel across the world to support endangered animals such as painted dogs, dolphins, gorillas, Guam rails and kingfishers, rhinos, sharks and vultures.

Disney says that its cast is the most valuable resource it has in delivering on world-class animal care and conservation and that it is proud to see cast members making a difference, developing stronger interaction and partnering skills, and sharing their experiences with guests.

You can learn more about zebras and Disney’s efforts to reverse the decline of at-risk animals in the wild by visiting DisneyAnimals.com.

source: Disney Parks Blog