LV ZOO WELCOMES ANOTHER SCIMITAR-HORNED ORYX CALF TO THE HERD
Lehigh Valley Health Network is the Official Motherhood Partner of the LV Zoo

(Schnecksville, PA) – Lehigh Valley Zoo along with Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), is excited to welcome another scimitar-horned oryx calf to the herd. Born to mother, Too Haute, this is the 11th oryx calf born at the LV Zoo since 2014. Most recently, Scotty Jr. was born on Aug. 4. LVHN is the Official Motherhood Partner of the Lehigh Valley Zoo.

Since its birth on Oct. 8, the yet-to-be-named, female oryx calf and her mother spent just over a week apart from the herd to allow for bonding, nursing, and rest. This is the second calf born to Too Haute and father, Bakuli. Their daughter, Eclipse, was born at the LV Zoo on Nov. 9, 2022. Interestingly, both parents were also born at LV Zoo, Too Haute in 2019 and Bakuli — who was transferred to Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (Glen Rose, TX) this past March — in 2020.

Oryx gestation lasts approximately nine months, after which a single calf is born weighing approximately 20-30 pounds. For comparison, adult males weigh between 300-400 pounds and adult females weigh between 200-300 pounds. Calves are born with a yellow coat that lacks the distinguishing marks of the adult oryx. Calves start to wean around 3.5 months, at which time they become fully independent. Both males and females have long thin horns, which can grow more than three feet in length.

As an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), LV Zoo has participated in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for scimitar-horned oryx for more than 10 years. Since bringing this species to Schnecksville in 2007, the Zoo has served as a successful breeding facility for this endangered antelope. In the 1980’s, the scimitar-horned oryx was declared extinct in the wild. Since that time, global efforts have been ongoing to aid in their conservation and reintroduction to the areas in Africa where they once roamed.

The Oryx calf still needs a name. In partnership with Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), LV Zoo is hosting a naming poll on Facebook this week — allowing guests and followers the opportunity to decide the final official name by voting for their favorite finalist.

Guests can visit the new Oryx calf along with the rest of the LV Zoo residents during LV Zoo’s in-season business hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week. Tickets can be purchased at lvzoo.org.

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Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) includes 13 hospital campuses, four in Allentown, two in Bethlehem, one in Easton, one in East Stroudsburg, one in Hazleton, two in Pottsville, one in Lehighton and one in Dickson City, Pa.; 28 health centers; numerous primary and specialty care physician practices; 20 ExpressCARE locations including the area’s only Children’s ExpressCARE; pharmacy, imaging, home health, rehabilitation and lab services; and preferred provider services through Valley Preferred. Specialty care includes: trauma care for adults and children, burn care at the Regional Burn Center; kidney and pancreas transplants; perinatal/neonatal, cardiac, cancer, orthopedics, neurology, complex neurosurgery capabilities including national certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, and robotic surgery in 10 specialties. Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute, Lehigh Valley Heart and Vascular Institute, Lehigh Valley Institute for Surgical Excellence, Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute and Lehigh Valley Fleming Neuroscience Institute physicians provide the most advanced treatments. Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute is a member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Alliance, an initiative that helps community providers improve the quality of cancer care and offers access to MSK clinical trials. Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, the community’s only children’s hospital, provides care in more than 30 specialties and general pediatrics. Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest is ranked as the region’s No. 1 hospital for nine straight years and has been recognized among Pennsylvania’s top 10 hospitals for nine consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report. Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Cedar Crest, LVH–17th Street and LVH–Muhlenberg are the Lehigh Valley region’s only Magnet® hospitals for nursing excellence. Additional information is available by visiting LVHN.org or following us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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As a member-supported non-profit organization, Lehigh Valley Zoological Society was founded in 2004, but it has been treasured community landmark for centuries. Located in the Lehigh Valley’s Trexler Game Preserve, the mission of the Lehigh Valley Zoo is to connect its community with nature to empower people to protect wildlife. We have achieved our mission and educated more than five million people. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Lehigh Valley Zoo hosts year-round, family-friendly events and activities, educational programs, and camps. To learn more about Lehigh Valley Zoo, we invite you to visit our website, www.lvzoo.org, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.