JOCHI IS BORN
- 18th Gorffennaf 2022
- Kaitlyn Jenkins
We have welcomed an adorable Bactrian camel calf called Jochi!
Born to Mum Elsa, and Dad, Genghis, the calf has been named Jochi, who was the son of Genghis Khan, in honour of his late father who sadly passed earlier this year.
He is already out and about in the enclosure, playing in the beautiful sunshine, but staying very close to Mum.
Elsa joined the Zoo only last year as a partner mate for longstanding camel resident, Genghis.
Claire Taylor, Head Keeper at the Welsh Mountain Zoo commented: “Jochi is an absolute sweetie and we've all fallen in love with him.
“He’s very healthy and displaying all the signs we’d hope to see at this stage. It is of course bittersweet that Genghis is not here to meet his son, but wonderful to see his legacy live on through our latest arrival.”
With less than 1,000 wild Bactrian camels remaining, conservation of the species, native to the Gobi Desert in Mongolia and in the Gashun Gobi in China, is critical.
They are recognised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as critically endangered, with numbers decreasing due to threats from hunting and habitat loss.