Zoo baby gazelle ‘Juliet' on the mend (photos)

PORTLAND, Ore. – An endangered Oregon Zoo animal just celebrated its first month of life and is on the mend after landing in the Intensive Care Unit shortly after her birth.

Juliet was born on Nov. 18. She is an endangered Speke’s gazelle, the smallest of all African gazelle species, and zoo spokesman Hova Najarian said every birth is important to the species' long-term survival.

But the next morning, Juliet was cold to the touch and transferred to the ICU.

“The rest of the day involved some heroic efforts on the part of our vet staff,” said zoo curator Amy Cutting. “It was touch and go for 36 hours or so while vet staff struggled to maintain her temperature and hydration.”

Vets eventually were able to bottle feed the calf and she joined her mom, Pansy, in the zoo’s African Savanna area on Dec. 11. Zookeepers say she’s bouncy and healthy.

Najarian said if Juliet remains healthy, zoo visitors will be able to see her this spring.