News Release
 
Contact: Sondra Katzen, Public Relations, 708.688.8351, sondra.katzen@czs.org
 
February 21, 2022                                    
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Note: Scroll down to end of press release to download photos.

   

Brookfield, Ill. — Asali (pronounced AH-sah-lee), a female klipspringer whose name means “honey” in Swahili, did not have far to go to arrive at her new home at Brookfield Zoo. Born at Lincoln Park Zoo in December 2020, the African small antelope can now be seen in the west suburban zoo’s Habitat Africa! The Savannah.

The transfer of Asali to Brookfield Zoo was based on a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Klipspringer Species Survival Plan (SSP). An SSP is a cooperative population management and conservation program for select species in accredited North American zoos and aquariums. Each plan manages the breeding of a species to maintain a healthy and self-sustaining population that is both genetically diverse and demographically stable for the long-term future. After analyzing data on the klipspringers in professional care, a team of expert advisors determined that Asali is a good match with Yukon, a 4-year-old male, who arrived at Brookfield Zoo in 2019. Currently, 26 klipspringers reside at nine accredited zoos in North America; including the two at Brookfield Zoo.

At full height, klipspringers are only about 2 feet tall, and are found in eastern to southern Africa among well-drained rocky outcroppings, called kopje (pronounced ko-pea). They have tiny hooves that are blunt and rubbery making them well adapted for maneuvering steep vertical walls—the word klipspringer translates to “rock jumper” in Afrikaans. Because of the slight upward arch in their back, klipspringers can easily bend and balance with all four feet together on the smallest patches of level rock. Their coat, which is thick and dense with hollow hairs, protects them from injury on rocks, acting as a cushion against bruising as well as insulation against heat loss. In front of their eyes, they have large slit-like pre-orbital glands that produce black, tar-like secretions used for scent marking.

Those interested in helping care for the klipspringers at Brookfield Zoo can contribute to the Animal Adoption program. For $35, a recipient receives the Basic Package, which includes a 5-inch x 7-inch color photograph of a klipspringer, a personalized certificate of adoption, a klipspringer fact sheet, an Animal Adoption program decal, and an invitation to the exclusive 2022 Animal Adoption summer event. To purchase, visit www.CZS.org/AnimalAdoption.

   
Photo Captions (credit Jim Schulz/CZS-Brookfield Zoo)
 
8249, 8258, and 8264: A female klipspringer named Asali (right) recently arrived at Brookfield Zoo from Lincoln Park Zoo to be paired with Yukon, a 4-year-old male klipspringer. Her transfer to the west suburban zoo was based on a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Klipspringer Species Survival Plan. An SSP is a cooperative population management and conservation program for select species in accredited North American zoos and aquariums. Each plan manages the breeding of a species to maintain a healthy and self-sustaining population that is both genetically diverse and demographically stable for the long-term future.
 
8274: Asali, a female klipspringer (small African antelope), recently arrived at Brookfield Zoo. Her name means “honey” in Swahili.

About the Chicago Zoological Society
The mission of the Chicago Zoological Society is to inspire conservation leadership by engaging people and communities with wildlife and nature. The Chicago Zoological Society is a private nonprofit organization that operates Brookfield Zoo on land owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County. The Society is known throughout the world for its international role in animal population management and wildlife conservation. Its Center for the Science of Animal Care and Welfare is at the forefront of animal care that strives to discover and implement innovative approaches to zoo animal management. Brookfield Zoo is the first zoo in the world to be awarded the Humane Certified™ certification mark for the care and welfare of its animals, meeting American Humane Association’s rigorous certification standards. The zoo is located at 8400 31st Street in Brookfield, Illinois, between the Stevenson (I-55) and Eisenhower (I-290) expressways and also is accessible via the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), Metra commuter line, and CTA and PACE bus service. For further information, visit CZS.org