Lehigh Valley Health Network is the Official Motherhood Partner of the LV Zoo

(Schnecksville, PA) – The County of Lehigh, in conjunction with Lehigh Valley Zoo, is thrilled to announce the newest addition to the bison herd. Born on June 11, this calf marks the first birth of the year and is the third offspring of its mother. Both the calf and its mother are in excellent health and are currently under the attentive care of the LV Zoo Animal Care staff and dedicated veterinarians.

Nestled within the picturesque, nearly 2,000-acre Trexler Nature Preserve, the bison enjoy a serene habitat. LV Zoo has been entrusted by Lehigh County to provide exceptional care for the elk and bison in the Preserve for more than 20 years. As a part of its steadfast commitment to conservation, LV Zoo manages the size of the bison herd — which has grown to include 15 members — and is active with other conservation partners to help ensure the health and longevity of the herd.

Bison offspring, known as calves, are typically born after a gestation period of approximately nine months. Calves are precocial, meaning they are relatively independent and mobile shortly after birth. They can stand and walk within a few hours of being born, and they start nursing from their mothers almost immediately. Bison calves have a reddish-brown coloration, which gradually darkens as they mature. Lehigh Valley Health Network is the official motherhood partner of the LV Zoo.

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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.