Tayras, sichuan takin and ring-tailed lemurs: how animals live in the Moscow Zoo

Creating a comfortable living environment for animals is a priority for the Moscow Zoo for them to live their usual life and bring forth offspring. Construction of more comfortable and spacious enclosures with herbs and shelters contributes to this, indeed.

Tayras

In the new environment, tayras (South American relatives of our weasels) breed to have given offspring for the first time ever in the Moscow Zoo’s history.

In late January, a tayra, called Georgetta, had two cubs. Animal keepers understood this because of the mother’s characteristic squeaking and behavior as she left the house less often and was noticeably haggard.

For a long time, the caring mother did not bring her cubs outside, but when they were finally allowed to study the enclosed site, they had thick wool and stood on their paws confidently. They are the same in color as adult tayras — with a dark body and a fair head.

Now the cubs appear in outdoor enclosures; the male is more fearless and curious, whereas the female is rather timid and often remains behind. Georgetta is a very cautious mother and calls the cubs back with an alarming chatter every time strangers are passing by.

Like other predators, the mother tayra brings up her cubs on her own, while the male is separated, so Zhorik who lives behind the wall does not take part in caring for the offspring.

These are the first tayras and their first litter ever in the Moscow Zoo’s history, two adults with two cubs living in the Moscow Zoo to date.

A new enclosure for red wolves

Improved enclosures provide animals with the most comfortable living conditions, for example, in early May, a group of red wolves was moved to a new enclosure, which had been built specifically for them. The group consists of three brothers, a female coming soon to them to choose and mate someone.

The enclosure is a big grove of maples, lindens, apple trees and junipers, with lots of boulders, logs, and shelters, so that the wolves always have the broadest choice and privacy if they like.

It is surrounded with a mixed fence of reinforced glass and metal lattice; the fence is rather high — more than three meters — making it difficult to feed the animals.

The wolves run along the stones and grassy soil being the most natural surface for them, though, if desired, they can always hide inside the comfortable shady home.

Red wolves have been living in the Moscow Zoo since the 70s of the last century, now there are three of them; in the 21st century, there have been 21 cubs.

Sichuan takin

In late March, the Moscow Zoo’s Center for the Reproduction of the Rare Animal Species got a sichuan takincalf born to elderly parents of many children originating from China, who have been living in the Center for 15 years.

Zoologists checked the baby’s health and found that it was a male. The first couple of weeks, the female, as expected, zealously defended the newborn, so keepers did not bother the animals and gave limited access for touring visitors.

Now everyone can see them as if the weather is not too hot the whole family is happy to walk outside. The calf rests by the mother’s side and is starting to try the first grass in his life. Takin males are not actively engaged in the upbringing and protection of their calves and can even be dangerous for them, but Mishanya who lives in the Moscow Zoo does not offend little ones, so he was not separated from the calf.

In wild, takins — of four subspecies — can be found in mountains of China, India, Tibet and Nepal.  The sichuan takin is native to Sichuan province in southern China and differs from the rest with its non-uniform skin color as the front of its body is golden yellow with dark brown on the back.

Sichuan takins have lived in the Moscow Zoo since 2009. Today the Center for the Reproduction of the Rare Animal Species near Volokolamsk is home to seven adult takins and one calf, with three teenager calves on the Zoo’s main site; 12 calves are born in the Center and 10 in Moscow.

Ring-tailed lemurs

In late March, ring-tailed lemurs also had two babies who still spend most of the time on their mothers’ backs, this period lasting an average of five to seven months; their gender to be determined a little later.

Although now they breastfeed, they already try some adult food and actively explore the world. They go away to a visible distance, actively communicate with other members of the group, but immediately return to the mother in case of any danger; other lemurs take care of their cubs, too.

The diet of ring-tailed lemurs is quite diverse, including fresh vegetables, fruits and protein meals, such as quail eggs, boiled meat, insects, nuts, and seeds, they also receive special mineral supplements every day.

Lemurs of different species have dwelled in the Moscow Zoo since its early days, today there are 18 ring-tailed lemurs and 2 red ruffed lemurs there, with 38 ring-tailed lemurs and 3 red ones born in the 21st century.

Black swans

A couple of black swans had two chicks in mid-May, they spent the first week of their lives on the parents’ backs. Baby swans are initially covered with very thin dark gray fluff, which gets wet quickly, so after the birth they climb onto parents.

Now the chicks can swim on their own, though they prefer to stay near their parents. It will take a long time for zoologists to find out their gender — they do not touch them so as not to bother the chicks and the parents.

The latter feed the chicks almost the same food as they eat themselves, including special compound feed, grated vegetables, and lettuce leaves.

Black swans normally live on the Big Pond, but, when they have offspring, the family is taken to separate aviaries. Now the chicks can be seen in the old part of the Zoo in the Creek aviaries next door to the musk oxen and the Pinnipeds pavilion as there is always pure running water there.

Black swans have lived in the Moscow Zoo since its early days. Today, the Zoo is home to 13 adult swans and two chicks; in the 21st century, they gave birth to 28 baby swans.