Zookeepers at Chester Zoo have successfully helped raise a rare newborn aardvark calf, affectionately nicknamed Womble. The arrival marks only the second aardvark ever born at the zoo in its 94-year history.
Bottle-Feeding and Nighttime Care
Due to the mother's difficulty in producing sufficient milk, zoo staff have been bottle-feeding the calf warm milk. As aardvarks are nocturnal animals, the feeds were conducted overnight while the mother, officially named Oni, was out foraging for food.
Inspiration Behind the Nickname
The calf's nickname draws inspiration from the fictional Wombles, characters from children's books and a television series. Keepers noted that the baby's wrinkled, hairless skin, long snout, and oversized claws closely resemble the beloved characters.
Sophie Tyson, one of the zoo's keepers, expressed her excitement: "Oni's new arrival is only the second aardvark to be born at the zoo in our 94-year history, so it's a really special addition for us all. While we don't yet know whether the calf is male or female, as it's a little too young for us to tell, the nickname 'Womble' has definitely stuck. With the calf's giant ears, long snout and playful personality, we think it's the perfect fit for the time being."
Aardvarks spend their days sleeping and are most active at night. Therefore, while the mother heads off to forage, the keepers have been providing the calf with extra support to help it grow stronger. The zoo continues to monitor the calf's progress closely.
