UPI – A British zoo announced the facility’s first-ever aardvark birth and unveiled the hairless newborn, which was dubbed Dobby due to its resemblance to the Harry Potter character.
The Chester Zoo in England said staff were “overjoyed” to discover a baby had been born to aardvark mother Oni, eight, and father Koos, six, in the animals’ enclosure.
The zoo said staff won’t know for a few more weeks whether the calf is male or female, but it was tentatively dubbed Dobby due to its resemblance to the hairless, long-nosed house elf from the Harry Potter series.
“This is the very first aardvark to be born at the zoo, and so it’s a momentous landmark for us and a real cause for celebration. We’re overjoyed,” Chester zoo Team Manager Dave White said in the birth announcement. White said Dobby is receiving around-the-clock care.
“Aardvark parents are notorious for being a little clumsy around their newborns,” he said.
“With the baby being so tiny and fragile, we’re therefore protecting it from any accidental knocks and bumps by helping mum out with supplementary feeding sessions throughout the night, just until the calf is a little stronger.”
