L.A. ZOO WELCOMES ENDANGERED GREVY’S ZEBRA FOAL
This is the first Grevy’s zebra born at the L.A. Zoo in seven years
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Credit: © Los Angeles Zoo
LOS ANGELES, CA – June 12, 2026 – The Los Angeles Zoo is celebrating the birth of a male Grevy’s zebra (Equus grevyi). The zebra foal was born this spring and is the first Grevy’s zebra birth at the Los Angeles Zoo since 2019.
The foal has spent his first weeks since his birth behind the scenes to allow him to bond closely with his mother. The young zebra has been intermittently on public view as he has been getting used to his surroundings and will be regularly on exhibit beginning next week, weather permitting.
“This is an exciting birth for the Zoo and for the entire animal care team,” said Dominick Dorsa II, Director of Animal Care, L.A. Zoo. “It’s been quite some time since we’ve had a Grevy’s zebra foal at the Zoo, and now guests will be able to see the behaviors of a juvenile zebra that they may have not experienced before.”
Like all Grevy’s zebras, the new foal features a stripe pattern as unique as an individual human fingerprint. Native to the semi-arid and open scrub grasslands of southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya, the Grevy’s is the largest of the three zebra species. Adult males stand five feet tall at the shoulders and can weigh nearly 1000 lbs., with females being about 10 percent smaller. While their life expectancy in the wild is 12 to 13 years, Grevy’s zebras can live 22 to 30 years in zoos.
This birth also brings an opportunity to raise awareness of the species’ population decline. Grevy’s zebras are classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Populations have decreased by 54 percent over the last 40 years due to habitat loss, unregulated hunting, diseases, and predation, and it is estimated that fewer than 2,000 remain in the wild.
“This birth not only helps support the Grevy’s zebra’s population in North America, but it will undoubtedly help educate guests about this important animal,” said Dorothy Belanger, Curator of Mammals, L.A. Zoo. “Guests visiting the Zoo will have the unique opportunity to observe this young animal and build a connection with the species. We’re thrilled for this new zebra and how it will help shape the minds of our guests and hopefully inspire them to be a part of the conservation of wildlife and nature.”
About the Los Angeles Zoo
The Los Angeles Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is dedicated to providing exemplary animal care and wellbeing. As a trusted leader in local and global conservation efforts, the Los Angeles Zoo is saving wildlife and connecting Angelenos to the natural world by delivering diverse learning opportunities and creating unforgettable experiences. The lush 133-acre campus and its passionate and dedicated team welcomes all to be inspired by the Zoo’s vision to create a just and sustainable world where people and wildlife thrive, together. The Zoo is located on Zoo Drive in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways. Admission is $27 for adults and $22 for children ages 2 to 12. For more information, visit the L.A. Zoo website at www.lazoo.org.
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CONTACT:
Carl Myers
323-644-4273
lazoo.press@lacity.org