The family at Disney Animal Kingdom just got a little bit bigger. A baby Eland was born on Sept. 4 as the park returned to normal activities after being spared from the affects of Hurricane Dorian.
Early yesterday morning, an eland in Disney’s care gave birth to a healthy calf named Doppler in honor of its post-storm arrival. Gender is not known as of yet.
The photos below were taken in the first few hours after the birth, and the calf has already taken its first steps.
The calf was born as part of a species survival plan in partnership with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Mom and baby are bonding well, and the team will conduct a neonatal exam in the coming days to get a gauge on the calf’s weight, height and gender. The pair will remain backstage for the next several weeks before venturing out onto the savanna with the rest of the herd at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.