Camel calf Sophia born at Whipsnade Zoo, boosting conservation focus
Updated: 08/04/2026 - 19:01 GMT+2 New Bactrian camel calf Sophia, named after Sophia Raffles, joins the herd at Whipsnade Zoo as it celebrates 200 years...
Updated: 08/04/2026 - 19:01 GMT+2
New Bactrian camel calf Sophia, named after Sophia Raffles, joins the herd at Whipsnade Zoo as it celebrates 200 years and highlights vital camel conservation.
A Bactrian camel calf has been born at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, as the site prepares to mark its 200th anniversary on April 29.
The calf, named Sophia, was born to Izzy and Oakley, bringing the herd to eight. Keepers say the birth offers a timely boost as the zoo highlights its conservation work.
The name honours Sophia Raffles, the first woman admitted to Zoological Society of London in 1826. Staff say the herd helps raise awareness of the critically endangered wild camel, or Camelus ferus.
Fewer than 1,000 are thought to survive in Mongolia and China, with hunting and water scarcity driving the decline.
