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Babies Take Center Stage At Busch Gardens

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By KEITH MORELLI

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 31, 2008

TAMPA - An infant parade of Busch babies has come to Tampa.

Eight new wildebeests are strolling along the attraction's Serengeti Plain, and a most uncommon baby addax was introduced to the world at Busch Gardens within the past few months.

The poster child, though, is a 2-month-old flamingo named Scout who is being fed with a bottle.

Busch Gardens officials said the wildebeests number seven males and one female and were born during the past few weeks. All were able to stand and do what wildebeests do - run - within a few minutes of birth.

The addax, a type of antelope, was born last week and also is at home on the Serengeti Plain. Addaxes are among the most endangered mammals on the planet, with estimates of less than 500 in the wild. The new female and her parents are on view in a segmented area of the 65-acre Serengeti.

The Caribbean flamingo is called the attraction's newest "ambassador in training." The 1-month-old bird is at the Jambo Junction area of the park and is being hand-raised by Busch Gardens' zoological team.

As a designated "animal ambassador," Scout will make media appearances and visit schools and special events.

The bird is far from flamingo pink. After a year or so, he will gradually lose his gray and white plumage and turn pink from the carotenoid pigments found in the shrimp and algae he eats.

With more than 300 Caribbean flamingos, Busch Gardens boasts the largest flamingos flock of any zoological park, officials said.

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

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