Zoo Babies
Introducing our Adorable New Arrivals

Zoo Babies

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About Zoo Babies

Cubs, pups, calves, chicks — no matter what they're called, baby animals are adorable!

At the Indianapolis Zoo, our animal breeding efforts are a key part of our animal conservation mission as they help to ensure the sustainability of a healthy, genetically diverse and demographically varied animal population. Learn more about the babies born recently at the Zoo.

African elephant
We’re trumpeting with joy!

The Zoo is thrilled to welcome a new male elephant calf, born Sept. 4, 2023.

His mother is 17-year-old Zahara, who was also born at the Indianapolis Zoo. Both Zahara and her baby were conceived by ground-breaking artificial insemination techniques.

Along with grandmother Ivory, the new calf begins a third generation in the herd at the Zoo!

Weighing more than 200 pounds at birth, baby elephants resemble a miniature version of adults and can stand within 15 minutes.

Watch our new calf grow and learn with our Zoo herd in Plains. You can also follow our website and social media for updates.

Read more about the arrival of our newest elephant

Greater kudu
Have you “herd?” We have two more kudu!

Two male greater kudu calves were born in the summer of 2023, one on July 16 and another on August 2. Caliente and Jojo are the mothers, and Caliente’s calf is Jojo’s grandson! Zuberi is the father of both calves.

In the wild, kudu live in southern and eastern Africa. Our new baby kudu join a growing herd in our Plains area. Learn more about greater kudu here, and be sure to stop by and see these graceful grazers on your next visit to the Zoo!

White-handed gibbon
Something to sing about!

The Zoo welcomes our newest male white-handed gibbon baby, Echo, born to mother Koko on April 20, 2023. Koko has black fur, and Echo has lighter fur like his father, Elliot.

White-handed gibbons live in the forests of Southeast Asia. Female gibbons are attentive mothers and care for their infants for about a year and a half until they can eat solid food—mostly fruit—on their own.

Learn more about white-handed gibbons here and be sure to look for the gibbon family in the Forests exhibit at the Zoo on your next visit!

Cownose ray
A new ray—hooray!

Our Oceans touch tank community grew by one with the birth of a cownose ray baby, a male named Augie on Aug. 23, 2023!

A single cownose ray egg develops inside the mother. Ray pups look just like their adult counterparts at birth, only smaller.

Native to coastal Atlantic Ocean waters and the Gulf of Mexico, cownose rays are listed as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List™ due to overfishing.

Visit the touch tank and take part in our daily Ray Feed visitor experience for a firsthand encounter you won’t soon forget!

Long-tailed macaque
Our macaque troop grew by leaps and bounds in 2022!

We were excited to welcome FIVE new baby macaques in 2022! Emerald was born April 30 to mother Ruby. Then came Mae, born to mother Momba on May 1. Gemma arrived a few days later, on May 9, to mother Glenda. Then came Bea, born to mother Adila on May 22. The most recent baby, who hasn’t been given a name yet, arrived on November 29 to mother Millie!

The babies will be cared for by their mothers for several years in our busy troop of macaques that live just outside the Oceans building.

Learn more about these fascinating Asian monkeys here. Then come see them for yourself on your next visit to the Zoo!

Come see all our animals!

Our furry family is always growing and changing! Plan your next visit online and save.

Zoo Babies of 2022

Say hello to the newest members of our Zoo family. ❤️

Zoo Babies News
Learn more about Zoo Babies
Rare Tortoise Hatches in Deserts
Rare Tortoise Hatches in Deserts

Published April 27, 2021 We’re thrilled to introduce the newest member of our Deserts family, a rare northern spider tortoise! ...

Macaque Troop Growing Again
Macaque Troop Growing Again

Published Jan. 11, 2021 A precious pair of little primates are the first Zoo Babies of 2021! Long-tailed macaque Glenda...

Three Chicks Join Penguin Flock
Three Chicks Join Penguin Flock

Published Jan. 7, 2021 We’re excited to welcome the arrival of three adorable Gentoo penguin chicks, hatched in December 2020!...

Plains Family Welcomes Baby Kudu
Plains Family Welcomes Baby Kudu

Published July 30, 2020 We’re excited to welcome the newest member of our Plains family. Greater kudu JoJo gave birth...

Welcome Our New Baby Dolphin
Welcome Our New Baby Dolphin

Published Aug. 30, 2019 We’re excited to welcome our newest Atlantic bottlenose dolphin addition, a healthy boy born to mother...

New Kudu Calf Born
New Kudu Calf Born

Have you herd? We have a new member of our Plains family! Greater kudu Jojo gave birth to a female...

Meet Makena, the Zoo’s Newest Addition
Meet Makena, the Zoo’s Newest Addition

In the late evening hours of Feb. 11, the Zoo welcomed the birth of a reticulated giraffe, the first female...

Ray’s Remarkable Legacy
Ray’s Remarkable Legacy

When guests got a glimpse of Ray, who was one of the five California sea lions here at the Indianapolis Zoo, it was...

Welcome a Baby Gibbon
Welcome a Baby Gibbon

Our first Zoo baby of the new year just arrived in Forests! A white-handed gibbon named Kavi was born in the...

Warthog Piglets Born in Plains
Warthog Piglets Born in Plains

Warthog mom Lily and dad Kazi welcomed the birth of four adorable piglets on April 17. Female warthogs can give...