Calgary Zoo's woodland caribou herd grows with birth of female calf

A female woodland caribou calf was born off-site at the Calgary Zoo on May 25. (image: Calgary Zoo)

The Calgary Zoo has welcomed a baby caribou but it will be a bit of time before visitors will have their first in-person glimpse of her.

Zoo officials announced Thursday morning that a female woodland caribou calf was born on May 25 and "both mom and calf are doing wonderfully."

Woodland caribou are considered a threatened species in Alberta and the zoo's herd serves as ambassadors, raising awareness for the plight of their counterparts in the wild.

The calf, as well as her parents Vanilla and Kirby, currently reside in the off-site Wildlife Conservation Centre as the redevelopment of their habitat in the Canadian Wilds section of the zoo is underway.

The herd will return to the zoo once the redevelopment is complete.