The Hattiesburg Zoo has welcomed a new furry friend to its animal family.
Staffers announced that a hyena cub was born to mother Pili and father Niru on Wednesday, September 25 at 11 p.m. Both the mama and her newborn are reported to be in good health.
Right after birth, the unnamed cub weighed 1.6 kilograms, and on October 1, the hyena weighed 1.95 kilograms, which is on par with the growth of Pili’s other surviving offspring.
“Pili has proven herself to be a wonderful mom to all of her cubs, and her instincts with this cub have been equally strong,” director of animal care Kristen Moore said. “Pili is nursing the cub and they are bonding appropriately.”
Pili and Niru’s first cub, Kito, was born at the Hattiesburg Zoo nearly two years ago and was the only surviving hyena to be born in North America in 2022.
The Hattiesburg Zoo, in cooperation with the Species Survival Plan, announced in late September 2023 that Kito was being relocated to the Rolling Hills Zoo in Kansas where he will eventually be a part of a breeding pair.
A second set of twin cubs were born on October 13, 2023, but only one cub, Cazimira, survived. Cazimira is less than one week from celebrating her first birthday at the Hattiesburg Zoo. Moore said there are plans to have the hyena moved to another facility as zookeepers in the Mississippi Pine Belt tend to the newborn cub.
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“We have been in discussion with the SSP about strategically placing Cazi as she will also be a part of the hyena breeding program at the appropriate time,” said Moore. “In anticipation of the arrival of the newest cub, plans have been underway to move Cazi in early 2025.
Hyena births are proven to be tricky both in the wild and in a zoo environment for the mothers and cubs. It is unusual for a female hyena to birth a single cub, especially in a first litter. Hyenas usually bear litters of two to four cubs with only an approximate 40% survival rate.
“The success of the Hattiesburg Zoo’s hyena breeding program is a testament to the knowledge and care our animal care team gives to the hyena family,” Hattiesburg Convention Commission Executive Director Rick Taylor said. “I am proud of the team, and appreciate their dedication to their craft as the Hattiesburg Zoo is proving to be a standout in hyena breeding.”
Cazimira has seen the cub and interacted with it through the mesh of their indoor living area. Face-to-face introductions between Pili, Cazimira, and the new cub will begin in a few weeks and will take place in short increments.
Interaction with Niru will take place after keepers are comfortable with the first introductions. The gender of the cub will be revealed in early 2025.
