CHICAGO — Months after Lincoln Park Zoo announced the birth of one of its heaviest animals, a baby black rhinoceros, it welcomed some smaller creatures.
On Thursday, Lincoln Park Zoo President and CEO Kevin Bell took to Twitter to announce the birth of two dwarf mongooses to be featured at the Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House. The two were born Nov. 19, but their mother only recently began showing them off.
The small, burrowing carnivores can grow up to 10 inches as adults. The baby mongooses are expected to reach their adult size in May, officials said.
Though the baby mongooses are still nursing they recently started eating solid food, including insects and produce, Bell said.
"Enrichment is a lot of fun with this species — they’re very curious and like to explore whatever items caregivers place in their exhibit," said Bell. "You can often find the whole family cuddling together under the heat lamp at the top of their dual-level habitat. It’s a cute sight."
This was the first mongoose litter at Lincoln Park Zoo since 1998.
