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‘The baby has arrived!’ Critically Endangered Black Rhino Calf Born at Kansas City Zoo on NYE, One of 740 Species Left on Earth
- Zuri gave birth to a calf on December 31, adding to the endangered species.
- The sex of the baby will be determined in the coming weeks during a neonatal examination.
- Once the sex of the baby is determined, the public will be asked to help name the calf.
- There are only about 740 eastern black rhinos left worldwide.
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A black rhino calf was born at the Kansas City Zoo on New Year’s Eve, making it one of 740 members of the species left on Earth.
The zoo made the announcement on Facebook on Thursday, saying its rhino Zuri had given birth on December 31.
The sex of the baby will not be determined for a few weeks as a neonatal scan will be done to do so and also to see if the baby is healthy, the zoo said.
Once they have determined whether the baby is male or female, the Kansas City Zoo will hold a naming ceremony for the baby.
A black rhino calf was born at the Kansas City Zoo on New Year’s Eve, making it the 740th member of the species left on Earth.
The zoo said Zuri, the baby’s mother, is in good health and spirits and is walking, nursing and even playing.
They added that “Zuri is a patient and caring new mother.”
The zoo has limited human interaction to Zuri’s area so she and her calf can have bonding time, an important part of raising rhino calves.
In a Facebook post, the Kansas City Zoo highlighted the importance of delivering a healthy baby to black rhinos.
“Only around 740 of this type of rhino remain in the wild, so this birth is also important for the subspecies as a whole,” they wrote. ‘We are thrilled to introduce this new arrival to Kansas City!’
The rhino arrived in Kansas City in the spring of 2018 with the baby’s father, Ruka, from a zoo in Oregon. Zuri was born at the Cleveland Zoo, while Ruka was born in St. Louis.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, only 740 eastern black rhinos
The Kansas City Zoo made the announcement on Facebook Thursday, saying its rhino Zuri had given birth on December 31.
The rhino arrived in Kansas City in the spring of 2018 with the baby’s father, Ruka, from a zoo in Oregon. Zuri was born at the Cleveland Zoo, while Ruka was born in St. Louis.
While Zuri gave birth in Kansas City, the species is largely native to Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa.
There are about 50 eastern black rhinos living in zoos around the world, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The species generally takes 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 regular checkups, so she was able to participate in her own care by patiently waiting for the ultrasounds’.