BATON ROUGE — The Baton Rouge Zoo is welcoming several newborn animals this spring, including two Nubian ibex twins and an American bison calf.

The ibex twins were born on May 4 and have been named Luke and Leia. Nubian ibex are native to the mountainous, dry regions of Northeastern Africa and the Middle East and are commonly found in rocky desert habitats.

The zoo also recently welcomed a healthy American bison calf, the latest addition to its bison herd. The calf is a sibling to one born just last year.

American bison are native to North America and are typically born at around 30 to 70 pounds. At full size, they are North America's largest land mammal.

"These births are an exciting reminder of the important role AZA accredited zoos play in species survival, conservation and education," Baton Rouge Zoo Director Jim Fleshman said. "We're thrilled for guests to experience these incredible animals and watch them grow."