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

(Schnecksville, PA) – Lehigh Valley Zoo, in conjunction with Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), has officially announced that a female scimitar-horned oryx calf has been born into the herd. LVHN is the Official Motherhood Partner of the LVZoo.

This marks the second addition to our oryx herd this spring, as a male, Bakuli, was born just two months ago.

The new, yet-to-be-named calf is reported healthy and was nursing from her mother, Peaches, within an hour of birth. First-time mom Peaches has also remained healthy throughout the process and has displayed an excellent knack for motherhood in raising her calf.

Oryx calves typically stand within the first hour of birth, which the LVZoo’s newest addition demonstrated for her keepers. The calf has become quick friends with Bakuli, and the pair is often spotted spending time together and exploring their exhibit.

Since scimitar-horned oryx are considered extinct in the wild, this is a huge celebration for the LVZoo, which is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and a participant in the Species Survival Plan for scimitar-horned oryx.

Oryx calves weigh an average of 22 pounds at birth and measure approximately 25 inches from the shoulder to the hoof, whereas human babies average seven-and-a-half pounds and approximately 19 inches from head to toe.

Additionally, oryx pregnancies last between eight to eight-and-a-half months and the young become fully independent at around the 14-week-old mark. Both male and female calves reach sexual maturity by two years old.

The newest resident of the LVZoo still needs a name. In partnership with LVHN, the LVZoo is hosting a naming poll on Facebook. The zookeepers will narrow their list of possible names down to four finalists. Fans will then decide the official name by voting for their favorite one on Facebook!

Anyone interested in helping further the care of the new calf – or any of the animals – during this critical time is encouraged to visit lvzoo.org/SustainOurMission.

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Lehigh Valley Health Network includes eight hospital campuses, three in Allentown, one in Bethlehem, one in East Stroudsburg, one in Hazleton and two in Pottsville, Pa.; Coordinated Health, which includes two hospital campuses, nearly two dozen multispecialty locations including ambulatory surgery centers and orthopedic injury centers in northeastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey; 26 health centers; numerous primary and specialty care physician practices; 22 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 Cancer Institute, Lehigh Valley Heart Institute and Lehigh Valley Institute for Surgical Excellence physicians provide the most advanced treatments. Lehigh Valley 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 the region’s only hospital nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report for orthopedics and has been recognized among Pennsylvania’s top five hospitals for six consecutive years. Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Cedar Crest, LVH–17th Street and LVH–Muhlenberg are the region’s only Magnet® hospitals for nursing excellence. Additional information is available by visiting www.LVHN.org/motherhood, or following us on Facebook and Twitter.

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As a member-supported non-profit organization, Lehigh Valley Zoological Society was founded in 2004, but as a treasured community landmark, the Zoo’s history spans over a century. Founded in 1906 by General Harry C. Trexler, a local industrialist, the Lehigh Valley’s Trexler Game Preserve has educated and entertained 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. With a mission to create a safe, engaging and enlightening wildlife experience for guests of all ages, the Zoo demonstrates leadership in the cultural, scientific and conservation communities. To learn more about Lehigh Valley Zoo, we invite you to visit our website, www.lvzoo.org, or follow us on Facebook @LVZOO.