Meet Our Addax Calf

An addax calf walks through the Africa Trail habitat. Addax are stocky, sturdy antelopes with short, slender legs and short tails. The calf has two small horns on the top of her head. She has a tan coat and white facial blazes that resemble an ‘x’ running between her eyes.

Three’s company, too! The morning of Jan. 26, Africa Trail staff reported for duty and discovered a female addax calf, born to 2-year-old mother Janet and 2-year-old father Jack. After spending four weeks behind-the-scenes bonding with Janet, the calf recently made her public debut. Our team is looking forward to learning if the calf will take after Janet, who is confident and feisty, or be more goofy and nervous like Jack! At the moment, keepers are seeing a lot of Janet’s personality in the calf.

An addax calf walks through the Africa Trail habitat. Addax are stocky, sturdy antelopes with short, slender legs and short tails. The calf has two small horns on the top of her head. She has a tan coat and white facial blazes that resemble an ‘x’ running between her eyes.

Addax are critically endangered. With less than 100 left in the wild, every birth in human care is a conservation win. 

On Feb. 27, keepers conducted introductions between the calf and Jack. They say she is curious about her surroundings and stuck close by her parents as they explored and grazed. Janet was protective of the calf, and Jack was patient and gentle whenever she approached him.

Keepers hope the calf will inspire visitors to care about her species, which is critically endangered. Only about 100 individuals remain in the Sahara desert due to drought, hunting and habitat loss from oil drilling and agricultural expansion. Visitors can see the calf and her family between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., weather permitting.

Want to learn more about the animals that live at Africa Trail? Don't miss the daily animal demo at 1:15 p.m.!