Endangered Grevy’s Zebra Born at Lincoln Park Zoo

CHICAGO (June 23, 2026) – The newest resident at Lincoln Park Zoo has already earned her stripes! On June 22, 19-year-old Grevy’s zebra Adia gave birth to a female foal. Both Adia and the newborn have been doing well and continue to be closely monitored by expert Animal Care and veterinary staff.

The foal is Adia’s sixth offspring and fourth with sire Wester. She will live with Adia, two-year-old sister Yabelo, and adult female Delrie. The foal was born as part of the Grevy’s Zebra Species Survival Plan (SSP), a collaborative population management effort among the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) institutions.

“Adia has a great maternal track record with her past foals, and her strengths are already shining again as she cares for her newborn,” said Curator Dan Boehm. “We’re proud to play a part in conserving the Grevy’s zebra population through important births like this one.”

The yet-to-be-named foal is easy to spot, with reddish-brown stripes that will only turn black once she is older. She weighs an estimated 100 pounds and will grow to be around 850 pounds in adulthood. While the foal was able to run just an hour after birth, she will remain dependent on her mother for the first seven months. After a roughly 390-day gestation and birth, zebras nurse for about 275 days.

Grevy’s zebras are an endangered species with a native range spanning Ethiopia and Kenya. Habitat loss and hunting have caused the species’ population to dwindle to just 2,000 Grevy’s zebras in the wild. They are the largest of the three zebra species and have around 80 stripes in total across their body. Their large eyes provide a wide field of vision. This allows them to spot predators in the open scrub and grasslands of their native range while they spend about 60% of the day grazing.

About Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo inspires communities to create environments where wildlife will thrive in our urbanizing world. The zoo is a leader in local and global conservation, animal care and welfare, learning, and science. A historic Chicago landmark founded in 1868, the not-for-profit Lincoln Park Zoo is a privately-managed, member-supported organization and is free and open 365 days a year. Visit us at lpzoo.org.

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