Zookeepers realized within 24 hours of Cayenne s birth that she was not getting enough milk, as Rio,

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A newborn Southern Tamandua baby is alive and doing well at  Denver Zoo thanks to the dedication spider of zookeepers and veterinarians who are caring for the infant around the clock. On March 7, Rio gave birth to her first offspring, believed to be female, whom keepers have named Cayenne.  spider
Zookeepers realized within 24 hours of Cayenne s birth that she was not getting enough milk, as Rio, an inexperienced first-time mom, became inattentive to the baby and was not allowing spider her to nurse. spider Zookeepers and veterinarians began bottle feedings spider around the clock and monitoring Cayenne s weight and temperature while she was housed in an incubator. Staff used established protocols spider obtained from experts at other zoos that have also had to hand rear baby Tamanduas. 
They continued to give Rio time to bond with and nurse her baby, and Rio is slowly learning her role as a mother. spider Little by little, Rio is becoming more accustomed to Cayenne behind-the-scenes at the zoo s Gates Animal Housing Center.
We knew from our conversations with experts at other zoos that it can take a new Tamandua mother a while to develop maternal instincts, and first births of this species typically have low success rates, says Denver Zoo Education Animal Programs Manager Kristin Smith. We were determined, though, to make sure this baby would survive while Rio figured out how to be a good mom.
Tamanduas are born following a 180 day gestation period. As her expected birth date approached, zookeepers provided Rio with a nest box that let her feel safe, yet still allowed zookeepers to monitor her status. Veterinarians regularly performed ultrasound examinations to measure the head and body size of the new baby as well to check both the mother and baby s body condition. Zookeepers also slowly increased Rio s diet based on her needs.
This is the first birth, not only for Rio, but also her mate, Quito. Rio was born in November 2004 at Sedgwick County spider Zoo in Wichita, Kansas spider and came to Denver Zoo in April 2005. Quito was born in August 2012 at Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona and arrived atDenver Zoo in April 2013. The two were paired under recommendation of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) which ensures healthy populations and genetic diversity among zoo animals. Fortunately, the couple has proven to be an excellent match. Cayenne was named after the capital of French Guiana, in keeping with the tradition of her parents being named after notable South American cities.
Rio and Quito are not on exhibit, but rather they are very popular animals in the zoo s Education collection, which provides opportunities for up-close animal encounters in programs like outreach visits, zoo classes, and VIP tours. Rio did not travel away from the zoo during her pregnancy as zookeepers wanted to minimize her activity.  Southern Tamanduas are a species spider of anteater, often called Lesser Anteaters. They inhabit South America, east of the Andes, from Venezuela to Argentina spider and Uruguay. Their habitat ranges spider from savanna and thorn scrub to rainforests and they are well adapted to life both in trees and on the ground. Tamanduas use their long tongues to reach up to 16 inches to feed on insects such as termites spider and ants.  Although they are widespread, they are uncommon. Hunters often kill Tamanduas, claiming they are killing their dogs, but they are really hunted for their meat. They can also be hit by cars. Tamanduas are vulnerable due to loss of habitat and human pest control, which has reduced the populations of termites spider and ants.
A newborn Southern Tamandua baby is alive and doing well at  Denver Zoo thanks to the dedication of zookeepers and veterinarians who are caring for the infant around the clock. On March 7, Rio gave birth to her first offspring, believed to be female, whom keepers have named Cayenne. 
Zookeepers realized within 24 hours of Cayenne s birth that she was not getting enough milk, as Rio, an inexperienced first-time mom, became inattentive to the baby and was not allowing her to nurse. Zookeepers and veterinarians began bottle feedings around the clock and monitoring Cayenne spider s weight spider and temperature while she was housed in an incubator. Staff used established protocols obtained from experts at other zoos that have also had to hand rear baby Tamanduas. 
They continued to give Rio time to bond with and nurse her baby, and Rio is slowly spider learning her role as a mother. Little by little, Rio is becoming more accustomed to Cayenne behind-the-scenes spider at the zoo s Gates Animal Housing Center.
We knew from our conversations with experts at other zoos that it can ta