BATON ROUGE – BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo welcomed its first dama gazelle calf to the zoo. 

The birth of the male calf on Saturday, Aug. 16, marks an exciting milestone for the zoo's animal care team, BREC said. 

“The dama gazelle is one of the most endangered antelope species in the world, with only a small population remaining in the wild,” Zoo Director Jim Fleshman said, adding that there are fewer than 100 remaining in the wild. “Having this species at Baton Rouge Zoo allows us to share their story with our community, raise awareness of the threats they face, and inspire visitors to join us in protecting wildlife for future generations.”

Two dama gazelles were sent to the zoo in December 2024 and were bred after the female's quarantine period ended. She gestated between six and six-and-a-half months. 

The male calf and his mother are now on exhibit in the Africa section of the zoo. For now, the calf often hides in tall grass, but he will become more visible in the weeks ahead as he grows stronger and begins to move more with the herd, BREC said.