Lehigh Valley Zoo WELCOMES ITS First-Ever NEWBORN Eland
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), is excited to announce the birth of a Common Eland born to mother Moira and father Code on Jan. 6. This calf represents a milestone for LV Zoo, as it marks the first-ever eland born under its care.

The zoo’s veterinary team conducted an examination on Jan. 7 and confirmed the newborn is a healthy male, weighing 68.2 pounds. Both Moira and her baby are doing well. The pair enjoyed the opportunity to bond and rest in a sheltered area before being introduced to the rest of the herd on Jan. 13, and the pair will be visible to daytime guests beginning Jan. 15 during zoo winter hours. Female eland are sexually mature at 15 to 36 months and have a gestation period of nine months, giving birth to only one calf at a time.

Code became LV Zoo’s first common eland when he arrived as a one-year-old from The Wilds in Cumberland, Ohio, in August 2022. Moira and her sister, Alexis, also joined the LV Zoo family from The Wilds as two-year-olds in May 2023. The Wilds is one of the largest conservation centers in the world.

The baby calf also marks a success for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums‘ cooperatively managed Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is designed “to manage a genetically diverse, demographically varied, and biologically sound population” of certain animals. The SSP pairs members of the same species at accredited zoos based on their genetics, so it was this recommendation that brought Moira and Alexis to join with Code at LV Zoo.

The common eland is the second-largest species of antelope after the giant eland, with males growing up to six feet tall at the shoulder and weighing anywhere from 1,200 to 2,000 pounds — roughly the same weight as our resident giraffes, Tatu and Joshua. Females are slightly smaller, but still impressive animals. These athletic antelope can jump great heights and have sustained running speeds of 20 mph when escaping predators. Native to Africa, Elands are important members of their ecosystem, playing a crucial role in conservation efforts in their native habitats.

Guests can view the baby calf and visit other LV Zoo residents during winter hours of Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. LV Zoo will also be open on Martin Luther King Jr Day, Monday, Jan. 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at lvzoo.org.

The “zoo-born” eland still needs a name. In partnership with LVHN, LV Zoo will launch a naming contest this weekend. All guests entering the Zoo from Jan. 17 through Jan. 20 will receive a complimentary entry form to make a name suggestion and have a chance to win other prizes. More information about the upcoming weekend and the naming contest will soon appear on the Zoo’s Facebook page.

LVHN is the Official Motherhood Partner of the Lehigh Valley Zoo.

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About Jefferson
Lehigh Valley Health Network is now proudly part of Jefferson Health. Nationally ranked, Jefferson, which is principally located in the Greater Philadelphia region, Lehigh Valley and northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value. Jefferson is more than 65,000 people strong, dedicated to providing the highest-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow’s professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical and applied research. Thomas Jefferson University, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson College of Nursing, and the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 10 colleges and three schools offering 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,300 students. Jefferson Health, nationally ranked as one of the top 15 not-for-profit health care systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas, serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 32 hospitals and more than 700 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Jefferson Health Plans is a not-for-profit managed health care organization providing a broad range of health coverage options in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for more than 35 years.

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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 Nature 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.

— SmartFun—