Someone is celebrating their first Father's Day at the Greater Vancouver Zoo today.
With summer almost here, the operators of the Aldergrove zoo have announced the arrival of their newest member of the family – a moose calf, explained communications manager Jody Henderson.
"Jester, our four year old male moose, is celebrating Father’s Day this year as a new, first-time father to his three-week-old female calf," she said.
The mother is four-year-old Oakleaf who arrived at the zoo back in April 2015.
Henderson explained that moose calves are helpless at birth and their mother’s keep them hidden from enemies for the first few days of their lives.
"The moose calf gains the most weight and is the fastest of all big North American animals, gaining more than a half a kilogram a day during the first month. In addition, a calf can outrun a human and swim only after a few days," she said.
The moose is the largest member of the deer family and the largest mammal in North America being one of the national animals of Canada.
They are found in Canadian forests from the Alaska boundary to the eastern tip of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species lists the moose as “Least Concern;” however, threats to the status of moose populations do exist and are primarily human-caused habitat alteration.
"Our new calf does not have a name as of yet, although you can come by to see her along with her parents, Oakleaf and Jester; although she might be at a distance for a while until everyone feels comfortable," Henderson added.
Greater Vancouver Zoo has been around since 1970, dedicated to conservation, preservation and protection of endangered species.
The zoo is an accredited zoo within the Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums, which is a non-profit organization established to promote the welfare of animals and encourage the advancement of education, conservation and science.
