Baby Boom!
Racine Zoo Announces the birth of Meercats and Tur

Racine – The Racine Zoo is pleased to announce the birth of four meerkats and one tur.  The meerkats were born April 3, 2008 and are now on exhibit with their parents after spending the last eight weeks in quarantine and becoming mature enough to handle chilly weather conditions.  The tur kid was born on Sunday, May 18, 2008 and is currently on exhibit at Mount Mouflon.

Meerkats are altericial and hairless at birth and will wean when they are between seven and nine weeks old.  At two days old, the meerkats weighed 30 – 40 grams which is average.  Currently, the meerkats weigh 160 grams to 190 grams. Zoo officials have not yet identified the sexes of the babies, as they are not yet developed enough to distinguish.

On average turs weigh between 3500-4200 grams when they are born.  Young are generally steady on their feet within a few hours after birth and are agile within a day.  At about one month old, they will start to sample grass and wean at three to four months old. The sex of the kid has not yet been determined.

The Racine Zoo is open daily.  Hours through Labor DAy  are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.  The admission price is $4.00 for adults, $2.00 for children 3-15, $3.00 for seniors and children under three and Zoo Members are free. The mission of the Racine Zoological Society is to foster an enlightening and affordable wildlife experience that improves the bond between people and nature. The Society will provide for the recreation and education of the people, the conservation of wildlife and wild places, and the advancement of science.

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