Keeper Wears 'Special Coat' So That Orphaned Baby Zebra Does Not Feel The Absence Of Its Mother

Wild can be a difficult place to survive for the little ones of animals that usually end up being prey. A few days ago, an orphaned baby zebra was rescued in Nairobi. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust shared its story and how a keeper at the conservation puts on a zebra dress so that the baby does not feel the absence of its mother.

In a Facebook post, it was explained that the orphaned male zebra was rescued after it had a near-death experience with lions that killed its mother.

¡®Herdsmen out with their goats on a ranch bordering Tsavo East were given a big fright when suddenly out of the bushes ran a zebra and her foal, chased by lions, all of which ran straight past them. Watching on rather dismayed, they witnessed the lions catch and kill the mother, at which point the baby zebra turned on its hooves and instinctively ran into the nearest herd for shelter ¨C that of the goats¡¯, the post read.

The zebra was eventually brought to Voi Reintegration Unit, of the conservation, and has been named Diria, after the ranch where he was rescued from. Since the time he was rescued Diria has been provided with constant company (and milk feeds) he would have received from his mother.

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The keepers wear a special coat while caring for him and the post explains why, ¡®Zebra foals imprint on their mother¡¯s striped pattern and the coat allows Diria to imprint as nature intended, without him becoming too attached to any one individual. A technique we have successfully employed over the years with other rescued zebras, who are now living wild¡¯.

Giving details about Diria¡¯s nature the post says, ¡®Diria is incredibly affectionate with his carers and, perhaps with the exception of his milk, loves nothing more than nuzzling into them as they comfortingly groom him¡¯.

Bored Panda talked to the people at the conservation who said, ¡°In the wild, calves will be raised by their mother alone, but at our Reintegration Unit, it isn¡¯t practical for a single individual to hand-raise Diria should they go on annual leave. Therefore, to avoid this fragile new-born imprinting on one person, our Keepers don a specially made striped coat that Diria will recognise as his ¡®mum,¡¯ regardless of who is wearing it. A team of caregivers can give Diria the specialist 24/7 care he needs to give him the very best chance of survival.¡±

It is a great strategy to make the baby zebra feel safe, and might we add? It is heartwarming when humans can do such a thing for animals.