A zebra gave birth to a zonkey, a zebra-donkey hybrid, in Chyulu Hills National Park, Kenya early this year.
The zebra is an unnamed stray that went out of the Tsavo East National Park. It joined a woman's cattle herd last year, according to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT).
In a news report, Kenyan media asked SWT to translocate the zebra back to a protected area. They received a call from the community warden of SWT at the Mutomo station.
"We settled on our Kenze Anti-Poaching Team's base in Chyulu National Park, so they could keep a close eye on her while she settled into her new home," SWT said.
Founded in 1977, SWT is one of the oldest wildlife charities and conservations in East Africa. It launched the Orphans' Project, the first and one of the most successful rehabilitation programs for orphan elephants in the world.
12 months in the making
SWT was able to create a timeline of the zebra's pregnancy based on the time the zebra spent with the herd. The gestation period of a zebra is 12 months - time the zebra spent acquainting with a donkey from the herd.
By the time SWT was ready to transfer the zebra, she had already accustomed herself to community life. They sedated the zebra, then delivered her to Chyulu Hills National Park.
"We settled on our Kenze Anti-Poaching Team's base in Chyulu National Park, so they could keep a close eye on her while she settled into her new home," SWT said.
The zebra adapted to her surroundings immediately. "Waking up upon arrival, the zebra - who was quickly proving herself to be unflappable and extremely adaptable - got to her feet and ambled off into the bush," said SWT. She was already a regular at the park's waterhole and frequented a nearby salt lick during their visits.
When SWT came back to check on the zebra again, it had been weeks since the zebra gave birth. surprised at what they found on one of their visits earlier this year.
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A unique hybrid
Unlike zebra foals, zonkeys have light, tawny stripes instead of white and black. SWT thought the zonkey wallowed in a mud bath, only to discover otherwise.
A zonkey is a mule. It has the body of a donkey and the striped legs of a zebra. However, it won't be able to reproduce when it matures.
Luckily, their new habitat does not have predators and has an ample supply of food and water for the mother and foal. The pair will remain at Chyulu Hills National Park until discovered by a group of wild zebras or zeal.
SWT has raised many orphaned zebras for decades. But not such an unusual pair, which surprised them the first time they saw the mare and foal.
"Working with wildlife, one learns to expect the unexpected. Even the most seemingly straightforward story can eventually reveal its true stripes and end up surprising us all," said SWT.
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