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BANANA SHAPED HOOFS AND BIG FLOPPY EARS

Along with fluffy coats and doe eyes, it makes Marwell’s latest new arrival of a Sitatunga Calf a very cute one.

Born on 29 July to mother Violet and father Tumnus, the calf is particularly fond of hiding amongst the thistles and so has been named Thistle by keepers.

Females are smaller with chestnut-coloured coats and males have darker fur and spiralled horns that point backward making it easier for them to navigate through dense vegetation. This is particularly important because in the wild, sitatunga live in densely vegetated African swamps.

Naturally very quick and shy, these allusive creatures can be hard to find, blending into their surroundings and moving with stealth.

Their hooves have two elongated, widely splayed toes, allowing them to move almost silently through water and avoid sinking in boggy mud.

Sitatunga are great swimmers and can paddle several miles if they need to. They have water repellent fur and have been known to completely submerge themselves to avoid predation in the wild.

Populations of sitatunga are decreasing in the wild and the species is listed as being of Least Concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.