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Chester Zoo Welcomes Its First-Ever Baby Aardvark

Chester Zoo in northwest England welcomed its first ever baby aardvark on Tuesday, January 4, the zoo said in a press release.

The calf, born to mom Oni and dad Koos, was named Dobby due to its “close resemblance to the beloved Harry Potter character,” the zoo said.

Conservationists at the zoo were “overjoyed” to discover the new arrival as they arrived to work on Tuesday morning, the zoo said.

“The bizarre-looking baby, born with large droopy ears, hairless wrinkled skin and giant claws, is currently being hand-reared every evening by zookeepers who are providing dedicated care, feeding the calf every few hours through the night for around five weeks, to help it gain strength,” the zoo’s press release said.

“Aardvark parents are notorious for being a little clumsy around their newborns … we’re therefore protecting it from any accidental knocks and bumps by helping mum out with supplementary feeding sessions throughout the night, just until the calf is a little stronger," the zoo said. Credit: Chester Zoo via Storyful