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Last Updated: Saturday, 17 June 2006, 09:56 GMT 10:56 UK
Endangered wild ass foal is born
Jamila with her mother Possa
Twelve-day-old Jamila is now one of about 70 Somali Wild Ass in zoos
A critically endangered species of wild ass that faces extinction in the wild has been successfully bred at a Hampshire zoo.

Jamila, a female Somali wild ass, is doing well after being born at Marwell Zoo, on 5 June.

The foal is the ninth of its species to have been born at the zoo since 1996.

Only a few hundred Somali wild ass remain in the wild, with about 70 of the animals in zoos around the world, said a Marwell Zoo spokeswoman.

The name Jamila means beautiful and elegant in Somali.

"The female foal was born to Possa on 5 June and her father is Rodolfo", the spokeswoman added.

"Marwell has a group of five Somali wild asses and has bred nine since 1996 when the zoo's first foal was born, the first ever British-born Somali wild ass."

Marwell and the Suffolk Wildlife Park were the only two zoos in the UK to have Somali wild ass, the zoo spokesperson added.

In the wild, the animals live on desert plains and rough mountain terrain.

Hunting, loss of habitat and competition for resources are threatening its existence.

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