Baby boom at the Zoo!Meerkats and Tur kits now on exhibit

The Racine Zoo is pleased to announce the birth of four meerkats and one west caucasian tur. The meerkats were born April 3 and are now on exhibit with their parents after spending the last eight weeks in quarantine and becoming mature enough to handle chilly weather.

The tur was born on May 18 and is also on exhibit.

Meerkat kits are incapable of moving around on their own and hairless at birth and will wean when they are between seven and nine weeks old. At two days old, the meerkats weighed 30 – 40 grams (1.4 ounces) which is average. Currently, the meerkats weigh 160 -190 grams (6.5 ounces). Zoo officials have not yet identified the sexes of the babies, as they are not yet developed enough to distinguish.

On average tur kids weigh between 3,500-4,200 grams ( seven to nine pounds) when they are born. Young are generally steady on their feet within a few hours after birth and are agile within a day. At about one month old, they will start to sample grass and wean at three to four months old. The sex of the kid has not yet been determined.

The Racine Zoo is open daily. Hours through Labor Day are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The admission price is $4 for adults, $2 for children 3-15, $3 for seniors and children under three and Zoo Members are free.