Tayra twins born in Prague Zoo
Two young tayra or high-woods dogs, as they are called in Trinidad, are now on display at Prague Zoo. From this week on, visitors can observe them in the exhibit near the polar bear enclosure. Under the watchful eye of their mother, the little mustelids generally leave their burrow in the morning and then during the afternoon feeding after 3 pm.
Under the watchful gaze of their mother, the little tayras are venturing from the den more and more often. Visitors can find them in the South American carnivores complex close to the bush dog enclosure. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
“The female tayra is a dutiful mother who suckles her young for up to three months. At first, they are blind and even afterwards they are quite helpless, so she watches over them for some time once weaned. This means they need peace and quiet, which is why it is only now that we are opening the exhibition to visitors, since the twins have already passed the most critical period,” explained Denisa Zběhlíková, the head keeper for small mammals, on the decision to open the enclosure a full two months after the kits were born.
The little tayras were born on 21 June to a twelve-year-old male, that came to Prague Zoo in 2011 from Papiliorama in Switzerland, and an eight-year-old female born in Prague. Besides their mother’s milk, the twins are now tasting meat in their diet, in the form of small rodents or chickens and, to a lesser extent, soft fruits such as bananas, melons or kiwi fruit, which their mother shares with them from her feed.
“At first glance the kits are identical, however the observant eye soon notices that one of them has a darker coloured head, seemingly after its father, and the other is lighter, after its mother,” said Zběhlíková, adding that the twins have yet to be sexed.
Tayras inhabit a vast range stretching from Mexico to northern Argentina. Unlike most weasel-like carnivora, they are active during the day, making them an attractive species for visitors. Compared to the pine marten, they are visibly more robust, with adults weighing up to five kilograms. Prague Zoo has been keeping tayras since 2004 and the first successful breeding was in 2011. It was the first time this species had been bred in the Czech Republic.
The tayra twins are already attempting to climb along the branches in the exhibit. However, it will be several months before they reach their parents’ levels of agility and swiftness. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
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