Red panda cubs, giraffe calf born during Columbus Zoo baby boom

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium welcomed several adorable baby animals over the course of a month, with two red panda cubs, a Masai giraffe calf, two sea lion pups, and a siamang arriving between May 29 and June 30.

With the exception of the sea lion, all of the species are endangered, Doug Warmolts, vice president of animal care at the zoo, told Today. Their numbers are low for a multitude of reasons, including climate change and deforestation, and everyone at the zoo is "thrilled" and "optimistic" over the births.

The siamang, a species of gibbon, was born on May 29, and Warmolts said it has been spotted snuggling and swinging with its mother, Olga. The red panda cubs came next on June 13, and are still being nursed; they are expected to make their public debut in about four months. There are fewer than 10,000 red pandas in the wild, and Warmolts told Today the zoo worked "very hard to get pairings just right and introductions of males and females just right. They're a challenging species to breed in human care, so we're just thrilled that they were successful."

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On June 25, a sea lion named Lovell welcomed her first pup — the first ever born at the Columbus Zoo — and on June 30, a sea lion named Baby also gave birth. Between those arrivals, a Masai giraffe calf was born on June 28. Warmolts said a wellness check will be conducted after the baby has time to bond with its mother, but it does appear healthy. Catherine Garcia

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