Moody Gardens in Galveston, TX experienced a baby boom this summer as four new animals were welcomed to the Moody Gardens Rainforest Pyramid. The furry friends made their debut this summer with two births in July, and the addition of two new Giant River Otters.
A new baby Prehensile-Tailed Porcupine and a baby Blue Duiker were both born in late-July. “A female Blue Duiker named Soksi was born July 22 to proud parents Basi, 3, and Ruben, 6. Soksi is Swahili for socks, which is fitting since her front feet are white, giving the appearance that she’s wearing a pair of socks,” shared an article by abc13.com.
In addition, Manuel and Maximo, the Giant River Otters, were brought in to be companions to the female otters, Dru and Ella.
The Blue Duiker’s birth is a first for Moody Gardens to be a part of. “Weighing anywhere from 7-20 pounds, the Blue Duiker is one of the smallest breeds of antelope. They are native to central, eastern and southern Africa,” shared galveston.com
One week later on July 31st, Moody Gardens was pleased to announce the birth of a Prehensile-Tailed Porcupine baby, born to mom Cora, 4, and dad Bono, 10, stated galveston.com. “The gender of the new porcupine is still unknown, but once its quills come in, biologists can send one off to determine the gender through DNA testing. Baby porcupines are born with soft hairs that will harden with age and become the sharp quills they are notorious for.”
The Giant River Otter brothers, Maximo and Manuel, both 2-years-olds, come from the Los Angeles Zoo. “The boys will be companions for Dru and Ella. This is the first time that they’ve had male companions and our plan is to have some combination of all four on exhibit for our guests to see and learn more about,” shared galveston.com
Moody Gardens’ 10-story Rainforest Pyramid is home to a variety of other exotic animals, plants, fish, birds, and mammals that come from rainforest around the globe. “As a part of a greater effort, the Rainforest Pyramid highlights the importance of conservation and education,” shared abc13.com.
