Reindeer ‘Bunny’ gives birth at Brookfield Zoo just before Easter

SHARE Reindeer ‘Bunny’ gives birth at Brookfield Zoo just before Easter
dsc_3606.jpg

A reindeer fawn was born Wednesday morning at Brookfield Zoo, just in time for Easter. | Jim Schulz/Chicago Zoological Society

A reindeer aptly named “Bunny” has given birth to a fawn just days before Easter at Brookfield Zoo.

The male fawn was born Wednesday morning and only weighs about seven pounds, according to a statement from the west suburban zoo announcing its first reindeer birth since 1980.

The fawn, not yet named, was up and walking within an hour of his birth. A one-day-old fawn is capable of outrunning a human, according to the zoo.

Reindeer fawns are born with dark fur that acts as camouflage and absorbs radiant heat from the sun, according to the zoo. Between two and three months old, they begin to shed and lighter-colored fur grows in. His antler buds will begin developing in a few months.

The parents, Bunny and Karl, arrived at Brookfield Zoo in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

Zoogoers can see the new fawn, Bunny, Karl, and Crystal, another member of the reindeer herd, in their outdoor habitat at the Hamill Family Wild Encounters exhibit.

The baby reindeer is the first born at Brookfield Zoo since 1980. | Jim Schulz/Chicago Zoological Society

The baby reindeer is the first born at Brookfield Zoo since 1980. | Jim Schulz/Chicago Zoological Society

The Latest
The acquisition of Tamarack Farms makes Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge a more impactful destination and creates within Hackmatack a major macrosite for conservation.
The man was found unresponsive in an alley in the 10700 block of South Lowe Avenue, police said.
The man suffered head trauma and was pronounced dead at University of Chicago Medical Center, police said.
Another federal judge in Chicago who also has dismissed gun cases based on the same Supreme Court ruling says the high court’s decision in what’s known as the Bruen case will “inevitably lead to more gun violence, more dead citizens and more devastated communities.”
Women make up just 10% of those in careers such as green infrastructure and clean and renewable energy, a leader from Openlands writes. Apprenticeships and other training opportunities are some of the ways to get more women into this growing job sector.