Bouncing baby zebra welcomed to Dublin Zoo

Dublin Zoo has welcomed its first zebra birth in 23 years, saying the new arrival and her mother are "doing brilliantly".

First-time mother Wiesje gave birth last Tuesday and has already developed a strong bond with her 50kg female foal, said zoo team leader Helen Clarke-Bennett.

“Mother and foal are doing brilliantly,” Ms Clarke-Bennett said. “We look forward to watching the foal grow and develop with the rest of the zebra herd.”

She added that Wiesje has “taken to her new roles extremely well”.

The baby zebra is a member of the common or Grant's family, the most geographically widespread of all zebras, which can be found between southern Ethiopia and eastern South Africa.

Ms Clarke-Bennett said staff at the zoo were “extremely excited” when pregnant Wiesje arrived recently as it had been 23 years since a common zebra was born there.

Last month Lord Mayor of Dublin Christy Burke named October 2014 the ‘Month of the Elephant’ following the birth of two baby calves at the zoo during the summer.

"The birth of the Asian elephants at Dublin Zoo is something that all of us at Dublin City Council want the people of Dublin to enjoy and share in," said Mr Burke. "The Zoo is part of the fabric of Dublin life and has been a must see for Dublin families since it opened in 1831."

Dublin Zoo has promised an “elephantastic month” filled with family fun days, events, workshops and keeper talks around Dublin city and at the zoo.

The public can keep an eye on the herd via the elephant webcam at Dublinzoo.ie.