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The Photos We Need Right Now: Cincinnati Zoo's Quarantine Baby Boom

There's a surprisingly large second wave of births this year at the Cincinnati Zoo, highlighted by a critically endangered bonobo born last week to first-time mom "Kesi."

The new babies include "Pocket" the wallaby, a red panda cub, skunk kits, dead-leaf mantises and more flamingo chicks than any other year.

"We joke about COVID quarantine being the cause, but the animals didn't actually spend any more time than usual together during the lockdown," says Zoo Director Thane Maynard. "We did our best to keep their routines the same."

Credit Cincinnati Zoo
A fussy colobus monkey.

Zoo babies month is usually celebrated in May but the zoo jokes these "Animals didn't stay six feet apart during the quarantine!"

You'll likely be able to see the baby bonobo next week outside in Jungle Trails along with her mom and dad. The baby's dad is 49-year-old "Vernon."

Credit Cincinnati Zoo

To see more photos of zoo babies, click the photo at top.

Ann Thompson has decades of journalism experience in the Greater Cincinnati market and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her reporting.