Awww, go look at this cute newborn aardvark, named "Dobby," who is the first aardvark to ever be born at the Chester Zoo in Cheshire, England. Here's how the website The Animalz describes the new baby:
The calf, born with large droopy ears, hairless wrinkled skin and giant claws, is currently being hand-reared every evening by zookeepers who are providing dedicated care, feeding the baby every few hours through the night for around five weeks, to help it gain strength.
Sound adorable? I think so! The website also explains the meaning of the word "aardvark":
The word aardvark translates to "earth pig" in the language of Afrikaans. The nocturnal animals use their long noses and keen sense of smell to sniff out ants and termites, which they lap up with a long tongue measuring up to 25cm, covered in sticky saliva.
Dave White, Team Manager at Chester Zoo, is quoted, saying:
"This is the very first aardvark to be born at the zoo and so it's a momentous landmark for us and a real cause for celebration. We're overjoyed. . . As soon as we spotted the new baby next to mum we noticed its uncanny resemblance to the Harry Potter character, Dobby, and so that's the calf's nickname for the time being! We won't though know for certain whether it's male or female for several more weeks until the calf is a little older."
For now, enjoy these pics and this video of Dobby, both provided by the Chester Zoo. I think I might have a new favorite baby animal!
