Meet Twig and Bella! Twig, the scimitar-horned oryx calf, was born on May 22 to mom, Fig. Her mother was brought in from the pasture with other health problems while she was pregnant. Fig gave birth to Twig while she was in the Medical Barn undergoing treatment. The Animal Management team decided to hand-raise Twig because her mother, Fig’s, health conditions prevented her from giving Twig the best care. Unfortunately, Fig passed away a couple of weeks after Twig was born. Twig enjoys her bottle and loves to run. The Animal Management and Conservation Medicine teams both love working with her because she has a fun personality.

Bella, the common eland, was born in the pasture on June 27. The Animal Management team noticed she was not standing up or walking as expected, so Bella and her mother were taken to the Medical Barn. We discovered that the tendons on Bella’s right front leg were contracted and she could not straighten them to stand properly and nurse from her mom. It only took a couple of weeks of casts and physical therapy before Bella could walk normally, but due to the longer (but necessary) separation from her mom, Bella had to be hand-raised, too. Bella’s mother went back to the herd in the pasture while Bella stayed in the barn to continue healing.

Since Twig and Bella are both bottle-fed, they were introduced together and instantly became friends. Twig helps give Bella confidence, and they both provide each other with companionship. (This is beneficial for both calves, as the scimitar-horned oryx and common eland are herd animals, and they prefer to be in the company of other animals.) Together, Bella and Twig make an adorable mini-herd. When Twig starts running, Bella follows, which is fantastic physical therapy for Bella’s legs. Every morning, the dynamic duo runs up and down the hallway while supervising the Animal Management team as they clean the stalls. Twig and Bella will live in the Medical Barn together while Bella’s legs grow strong.