Baby manatee born at Burgers' Zoo

A baby manatee was born at Burgers' Zoo in Arnhem this week, the zoo announced on Instagram.

"For weeks the 5.5-year-old Caribean manatee female had our zookeepers and biologists on the edge of their seats", the zoo said on Instagram. "But tonight it finally happened: in the Mangrove a seemingly healthy manatee was born! It is likely a male."

Burgers' Zoo first announced that its female manatee may be expecting in January. She lives in the Mangrove with a 17-year-old male. Caribbean manatees have a gestation period between 12 and 14 months, and the zoo initially expected that the manatee would give birth last month.

Burgers' Zoo is the only zoo in the Netherlands that has manatees. The last manatee births in the Netherlands were in 1993 and 1995, so this birth was long awaited.

A total of only 35 manatees live in European zoos, 21 males and 14 females.