Four New Lambs are Born Just in Time for Spring

New York, N.Y., March 29, 2010 -- The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Queens Zoo is pleased to announce the arrival of four new Jacob’s four-horned lambs. These adorable fluffy friends were born last week at the zoo and have been delighting visitors ever since.

Two males were born to mom, Phoebe, while her sister, Emma, gave birth to a duo of females. All four cuddly creatures have a coat of downy black-and-white wool, but it’s easy to tell them apart. The males have mostly black wool with spots of white, while the females’ colors are reversed.

Zookeepers report the yet-to-be-named lambs are doing very well, and they are all very active; spending most of their time jumping, running, and exploring their exhibit. Since they are all still nursing, they do not stray too far from their mothers as they continue to discover their new home.

Jacob’s sheep are currently listed as threatened by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.  This species has fewer than 1,000 annual registrations in the United States. The WCS Queens Zoo acquired the breed in 2008 as part of a cooperative breeding program designed to help increase awareness about rare domestic breeds.

WCS conducts and participates in similar breeding programs at its facilities and around the world, including the Association of Zoos and Aquariums-administered Species Survival Program that helps maintain genetic diversity among endangered species in captivity.  The organization is also working to save wild sheep and goats – including the massive Marco Polo sheep – in Central Asia. 

Contact:           
Barbara Russo - 212-439-6527, brusso@wcs.org

                                                                                                                                          

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Queens Zoo – Open every day of the year. Admission is $7 for adults, $4 for seniors 65 and older, $3 for kids 3-12, free for children under 3. Zoo hours are 10am to 5pm weekdays, and 10am – 5:30pm weekends, April through October, and 10am – 4:30pm daily, November through April.  The Queens Zoo is located at 53-51 111th Street in Flushing Meadow’s Corona Park in Queens. For further information, call 718-271-1500 or visit www.queenszoo.com.

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide.  We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo.  Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony.  WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth. www.wcs.org

Special Note to the Media: If you would like to guide your readers or viewers to a web link where they can make donations in support of helping save wildlife and wild places, please direct them to: www.wcs.org/donation.