DENVER – Move over, Dobby the giraffe. There’s a new baby animal at the Denver Zoo.
The zoo on Friday announced its first successful birth of a fishing cat cub.
Miso-Chi was born to mother Namfon and father Ronaldo on January 25. Staff aren't sure of the cub's sex yet.
We're excited to announce our first successful birth of a fishing cat! Join us in welcoming Miso-Chi, our new cub! #babyanimals #ILoveDenZoo pic.twitter.com/tD9WiYeJng
— Denver Zoo (@DenverZoo) March 10, 2017
Fishing cats are native to parts of southeast Asia and as their name suggests, they often live in swamps and wetlands and feed on fish. They sometimes attract fish by tapping on the water's surface with their paws, mimicking the movement of insects. They then dive into the water, using their claws to spear the fish.
The number of fishing cats in the wild is unclear because they're so elusive, but experts estimate there are fewer of 10,000 of them. Because their numbers continue to decline, the International Union of Conservation of Nature considers them vulnerable.
Miso-Chi and its mom are currently on public display at the Marynelle Philpott Fishing Cat Lagoon at Toyota Elephant Passage.
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