Triplets of cubs were born in the Prague zoo PRAGUE | News
Cubs of the Cuban hutia have been added to the Prague zoo. The triplets were born in July and according to the nurses, they are doing more than well.
“Our triplets were born on the twentieth of July. That means they are just over a month old. They are doing very well. I’m already eating solid food. Of course, by five months they will still be breastfed on their own, but they are already on solid food for adults,” says head breeder Denisa Zběhlíková.
“The cubs are self-sufficient right after birth, that means they follow the adults, they see, they hear. Even a few hours after birth they are climbing. So there is actually no need for our intervention,” he adds.
Cuban Hutie, as the name suggests, lives in Cuba. This animal can really only be seen on this island. According to the keepers, it is actually a type of tree nutria.
“They mostly live in woodlands. Of course, they can also occur in some rocky areas. And they are actually rodents, so their main food is various shoots, leaves, branches, grass, and they can also catch small invertebrates,” says Denisa Zběhlíková. “It is a species that is common there, it is a species that is little affected, but they still love meat and skin there,” adds Zbehlíková.
In the Prague Zoo, the hutia move around in both indoor and outdoor exhibits. At the moment, they care for a total of nine hutias in the garden. Six individuals are adults and they were joined by cubs born just during the holidays.