Quadruplets in Dahlonega

No one even knew Georgia was pregnant, so when she gave birth Friday, everyone (and I mean everyone) was surprised. The surprise was even greater when not one, not two, but four babies arrived.

Rare baby white tigers. Photo from Gainesville Times.

Georgia and the quadruplet's father Magnum are Siberian Tigers, who make their home in the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve in Dahlonega. The baby tiger cubs are rare white Siberians, like their mother.

Normally, Siberians usually have two or three cubs, so having four is not a common occurrence. The quadruplets join ten other Siberian Tigers at the Chestatee Preserve, which is home to a large number of big cats.

"'It's just a miracle that all four are still living,'" said the Preserve's General manager C. W. Walthen. According to him, the babies, each weighing less than 3 lbs., were taken from Georgia because she was not nursing them. The cubs are now being bottle fed and seem healthy. "It's just like having four new babies at home." The baby tigers will grow to be between 700 and 800 pound adults.

The Chestatee Preserve is known world-wide for its unique collection of animals, including an extremely rare mother-daughter set of Zedonks, a half zebra - half donkey combination. The Preserve, open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., is the only exotic animal rescue and wildlife preserve in North Georgia. Obviously, this is a must-go-to spot when you visit the North Georgia mountain region.

For more details on the baby tigers, you'll want to read this Gainesville Times article -  http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/6/article/71013/.

Now There Are Two Zedonks

Second baby Zedonk born in Dahlonega.

One zedonk (half zebra/half donkey) is pretty rare but to have two born within 13 months is quite the history maker. 

Sarah, the donkey, gave birth Sunday to her second zedonk at the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve in Dahlonega.

Baby Zedonk's older sister, Pippi Z. Donk, celebrated her first birthday in July. "We knew that Sarah was pregnant because her sides had started to bow out, but we didn't think she was having another zedonk", said C. W. Wathen, GM and founder of the wildlife preserve.

According to a veterinarian, who came to see the new arrival, the zebra and donkey chromosomes "are so different, to get them to line up one time to make one (zedonk) was a lucky accident, but for it to happen again, that’s amazing."

What's even more remarkable is how much Pippi and Baby Zeedonk look alike, complete with the same reddish coloring, skinny striped legs, and similar markings on their backs and faces.

Baby Zedonk doesn't have a name as of yet. How about Stripes or Zee or Annika (Pippi Longstocking's friend)? Walthen is planning to ask Dahlonega school children to come up with a name (hopefully better than the three we offered.)

Until then, what would you suggest for a zedonk name? 

Read more about Baby Zedonk

Happy Birthday to our Zedonk!

Pippi, Dahlonega's very rare Zedonk, just celebrated her first birthday. Pippi (short for Pippi Longstocking) is half Zebra and half Donkey and looks just like you would think a Zedonk would look - long Zebra legs on a donkey body.

The question is - What  kind of birthday cake do you make for zedonk? Maybe a carrot cake or perhaps a rich chocolate zucchini cake, a pumpkin cake or even a potato cake? Guess D&B will just have to do more research on this topic.

Anyway, Pippi made international news last July when she was born. Since then Pippi has become one of the top tourist attractions for Georgia with tourists coming from all over the world to see Dahlonega's newest treasure. 

Pippi lives with her donkey mom at the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve along with monkeys, snakes, lions, tigers, wolves, a camel, a grizzly bear, and yes...a zebra.

While the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve may not have the international clout and reputation of the San Diego zoo, this Dahlonega zoo does have something no other zoo in America has...little Pippi.