THE pitter patter of little hooves has brought in the new year at Taronga Western Plains Zoo with the birth of a female zebra foal.
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'Marini' the foal was born on December 30 last year and zebra keeper, Carolene Magner said she is fitting in nicely with the rest of the herd.
"Whilst Kaya is new to motherhood she has observed other females in the herd nurture their offspring and is demonstrating all the right maternal behaviours," she said.
The name Marini means 'fresh, healthy and pretty' in Swahili, compliant with the zoos naming policy.
She is the first foal for mother Kaya and the first foal to be sired by new stallion, Bwana.
The stallion joined the herd in late 2013 from Hamilton Zoo in New Zealand.
Marini spends most of her day feeding, sleeping, frolicking with the rest of the herd and has been on exhibit since birth, Ms Magner said.
The birth of the zebra foal finished a successful year of breading for the Taronga Western Plains Zoo.
New arrivals to 2014 have included a hippo calf, otter pups, Galapagos tortoise hatchlings, giraffe calves and Przewalski's Horse foal.
Ms Magner said another zebra in the herd is pregnant, which will provide a "companion close to her age to interact and bond with."
"This birth creates a new genetic bloodline in our herd at the zoo, which benefits zoo-based populations and supports their counterparts in the wild."
"The continued breeding success is very exciting and a testament to the high level of animal husbandry expertise the staff at Taronga Western Plains Zoo possess," Ms Magner said.