BOSTON -- Staff at the Franklin Park Zoo is giving extra thanks this Thanksgiving as they celebrate the birth of two new babies born into the zoo family.

A new Grevy’s zebra and a potto were born in November. Pottos are small primates native to the forests and wooded savannahs of West Africa and Central Africa.

The Grevy’s zebra foal, born Nov. 19, is the offspring of Evita, 14, and Menelik, 12. It is Evita’s fourth foal and Menelik’s sixth.

The foal, a male weighing 104 pounds, made his exhibit debut Monday with his mother.

New Zoo Babies

Grevy's are the most endangered of all zebra species mostly due to habitat loss and poaching by humans, despite recent efforts to ban hunting in their native lands. They are primarily found in Kenya, with a smaller population in Ethiopia. Currently in the wild the species number less than 2,500 individuals, a significant loss from more than 15,000 animals reported in the late 1970s.

“I am thrilled to announce this significant birth. We have been very successful in breeding Grevy’s zebras at Franklin Park Zoo and each birth contributes greatly to the future survival of this endangered species,” said John Linehan, Zoo New England president and CEO.

Five days before the zebra was born, a potto was born inside Franklin Park Zoo’s Tropical Forest. The birth gives a boost to the tiny North American captive population, which only numbers 14 animals. Franklin Park Zoo is one of three zoos in the country to exhibit them, and one of the only zoos that has been consistently adding to the captive population.

The baby potto, which was born Nov. 14 and is not yet named, is the offspring of Aluna (mother) and Chaggah (father). This is Aluna’s second baby and she is rearing the infant behind the scenes at Franklin Park Zoo. Aluna, who was born at the zoo in 2006, was hand-reared by the zookeepers after it was determined that her mother was unable to adequately care for her.

“That Aluna was hand-reared and is now parent-rearing her second offspring is an incredible accomplishment,” said Linehan, who added, “Each birth is a significant step in preserving these fascinating animals. As with any new birth, we are closely monitoring the baby’s health and development. The baby has been doing well and we hope it continues to thrive.”

The baby weighed 35 grams at birth, or just over one ounce. It is difficult to determine the gender of young prosimians and the baby’s sex will most likely not be known for several months.

Pottos, whose body lengths measure 12 to 15 inches long, give birth to one to two offspring. Full-grown pottos weigh just less than 3 pounds and have large, dark, round eyes.

The pottos were bred as part of the Potto Population Management Plan (PMP), which is a cooperative, inter-zoo program coordinated nationally through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. PMPs are specific to individual species, and designed to ensure the long-term survival and health of the captive population. The Potto PMP was started by a former Zoo New England zookeeper in the mid-1990s.