It’s always exciting when a new baby animal is born. There are few things cuter than a tiny newborn animal.
But one adorable new arrival is really winning hearts with its miniature size, proving that great things really do come in small packages.
The Brevard Zoo, in Florida, welcomed a new klipspringer calf, the ninth in the zoo’s history. The klipspringer is one of the smallest species of antelope, so at birth they’re especially tiny — and especially adorable:
The calf was born to a mom named Deborah and a father named Ajabu.
According to the San Diego Zoo, newborn klipspringers usually weigh 2.2 pounds, or about 35 ounces. But this newborn was only 27.5 ounces, making him even smaller than usual.
But the zoo told AP that the calf was found to be in good health. “Good things come in tiny packages,” the zoo wrote on Facebook.
According to the San Diego Zoo, klipspringers give birth to one calf at a time, with a 7-month gestation period.
Though tiny for antelopes, they grow to 20 inches and 22-40 pounds at adulthood.
The zoo says that young klipspringers are “hiders” for the first few months of life, a trait they likely adapted after being prayed on by eagles in their native habitat.
The klipspringer is native to eastern and southern Africa. They like to habitat in areas with rocky terrain and sparse vegetation.
Thankfully, this has kept the klipspringer population safe: their habitats are unfavorable for hunting, so they have no real threats to their survival. They are listed as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List.
However, the Brevard Zoo says that they are still occasionally hunted by humans for their meat and hide.
Klipspringers have a life expectancy of about 15 years.
The newborn calf doesn’t have a name yet, and hasn’t made his public debut yet. The zoo is giving him some time to bond with mom first.
“He will spend several weeks bonding with Deborah in a behind-the-scenes area before making his public debut,” the Brevard Zoo wrote.
But we know that this little guy is sure to delight visitors to the zoo for years to come.
“Keep your eyes peeled to see if you can spot the calf in Expedition Africa in a few weeks!”
What a precious little animal. Welcome to the world, little guy!
Share this adorable klipspringer with the animal lovers in your life!
