Rare Baby Camel, a Bactrian, Meets Public at Budapest Zoo (Photos)

The public got its first glimpse on Tuesday of a rare Bactrian baby camel born April 9 at Budapest Zoo.

The male camel, named Ilias, has been with his mother, giving them time to bond before being introduced to the public.

Urgent: Do You Approve Or Disapprove of President Obama's Job Performance? Vote Now in Urgent Poll

The baby camel was the first to be born to his 8-year-old mother Iris, and the two had trouble with feeding, zoo spokesperson Zoltan Hanga told Agence France-Presse.

"Us zookeepers had to hold down the mother and gently help the baby to feed," Hanga said.

Bactrian camels, which have two humps, are endangered, with fewer than 1,000 living in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia and China, according to National Geographic.

The gestation period is 12 to 14 months, and the camels can live up to 50 years in captivity.

Pictures of baby Ilias spread on the Internet.

Adorable “@AFP: Rare baby camel makes his debut at a zoo in Hungary http://t.co/emj5bMjNmq via @YahooNewsUK pic.twitter.com/d1Luloe6wb”

— Helena van Oers (@_havano) April 15, 2014

so sweet really "@AFP @YahooNewsUK Rare baby camel makes his debut at a zoo in Hungary http://t.co/p4nuAKMid2 pic.twitter.com/3it6DTBSFv"

— Senem Guneser (@GuneserSenem) April 15, 2014

According to Doncaster Free Press, a female Bactrian camel was born March 20 at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

The Detroit Zoo welcomed a baby Bactrian camel in 2012, and also in 2012 a baby Bactrian camel was born at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. A video of that baby, the first to be born at the zoon in 30 years, was posted on YouTube.



Urgent: Assess Your Heart Attack Risk in Minutes. Click Here.

Related Stories:

• Giant River Otter: Rare Species, First of Its Kind, Born in Asia (Video)
  
• Borneo Marbled Cats, Rare and Endangered, Spotted on Camera