ABILENE, Texas — The birth of its first Addax calf, a male named Kélo, was announced by the Abilene Zoo late last week.
The calf's first-time parents are Néma and Rosso. The zoo says Kélo was born Feb. 25, marking a significant moment for both the zoo and global conservation efforts, because addax are critically-endangered species facing alarming population declines.
Kélo is named after the city in southern Chad. His parents, Néma and Rosso, are also named after cities in the African continent. Once abundant in North Africa, addax is now extinct in several countries and are currently only found in Chad, Mauritania and Niger.
Visitors can now see Kélo bonding with his parents and the rest of the herd, contributing to vital efforts to raise awareness and importance of wildlife conservation.
