‘The baby is here!’ The critically endangered black rhino calf is born at the Kansas City Zoo on NYE – one of only 740 species left on Earth
- Black rhino Zuri gave birth to a calf on December 31, contributing to the dwindling population of the endangered species
- The sex of the baby will be determined during a newborn exam in the coming weeks
- Once the baby’s sex is determined, the public will be asked to help name the calf
- There are only about 740 eastern black rhinos left worldwide
A baby black rhino calf was born at the Kansas City Zoo on New Year’s Eve, becoming one of only about 740 members of the species remaining on Earth.
The zoo announced on Facebook Thursday that its rhino, Zuri, had given birth on December 31.
The baby’s sex will not be determined for a few weeks as a newborn scan is performed and the baby is also found to be healthy, the zoo said.
Once they determine whether the calf is male or female, the Kansas City Zoo will hold a ceremony to choose the baby’s name.
A baby black rhino calf was born at the Kansas City Zoo on New Year’s Eve, becoming just the 740th member of the species left on Earth
The zoo said that Zuri, the baby’s mother, is in good health and in good spirits, walking around, breastfeeding and even playing.
They added that “Zuri is a patient and considerate first-time mom.”
The zoo has restricted human interaction to Zuri’s territory so that she and her calf have time to bond, an important part of raising rhino calves.
In a Facebook post, the Kansas City Zoo stressed how important it is for the black rhino to have a healthy baby.
“There are only about 740 of this rhino species left in the wild, so this birth is also important for the subspecies as a whole,” they wrote. “We are very excited to introduce this newcomer to Kansas City!”
The rhino arrived in Kansas City with the baby’s father, Ruka, from a zoo in Oregon in the spring of 2018. Zuri was born at the Cleveland Zoo while Ruka was born in St. Louis.
The Kansas City Zoo announced on Facebook Thursday that its rhino, Zuri, had given birth on December 31
The rhino arrived in Kansas City with the baby’s father, Ruka, from a zoo in Oregon in the spring of 2018. Zuri was born at the Cleveland Zoo while Ruka was born in St. Louis
While Zuri gave birth in Kansas City, the species is mostly native to Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa.
According to the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, about 50 eastern black rhinos live in zoos around the world.
The species typically requires between 15 and 16 months of gestation before giving birth.
Zuri’s pregnancy included “weekly ultrasounds and blood hormone monitoring,” while “animal care specialists trained with her in preparation for the regular checkups, allowing her to participate in her own care by standing patiently for the ultrasounds.”