Zoo Atlanta celebrates birth of its first rare baby southern white rhinoceros in special Christmas Eve delivery
- Mother Kiazi, 22, and father Mumbles, 12, welcomed their unnamed calf on December 24
- The new parents were 'recommended' for breeding under the AZA White Rhino Species Survival Plan
- Zoo Atlanta confirmed that the calf is healthy and strong and that Kiazi is receiving maternal care
Zoo Atlanta received an early Christmas surprise when it welcomed the birth of its first rare baby southern white rhino this weekend.
The unnamed calf was born on December 24 to 22-year-old mother Kiazi and 12-year-old father Mumbles.
The species is currently classified as Near Threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature because it is poached for its horns.
The parents met in early 2022 after Kiazi arrived from another Association of Zoos and Aquariums in late 2021.
The Animal Care and Veterinary Teams had been monitoring Kiazi through voluntary ultrasound scans since discovering her pregnancy in the spring of 2023.
The zoo confirmed that the calf is healthy and strong and that Kiazi is receiving maternal care.
The unnamed calf was born on December 24 to 22-year-old mother Kiazi and 12-year-old father Mumbles.
In a press release, the zoo confirmed that the calf is healthy and strong and that Kiazi is receiving maternal care
The new parents were “recommended” for breeding under the AZA White Rhino Species Survival Plan, of which the zoo is a member.
The plan aims to maintain healthy, genetically diverse and self-sustaining animal populations in professional human care.
Raymond B. King, president and CEO of Zoo Atlanta, said, “The Zoo Atlanta family is extremely excited about the birth of Kiazi's calf. This birth has been highly anticipated news for months. Over the past year we have had many exciting developments in our rhino population.
“If there is a special connection our members and guests can make with Kiazi and her calf, it is a connection that can translate into conservation action.
“All rhino species are currently endangered, and as custodians of this brand new ambassador here in Atlanta, we also have a responsibility to do everything we can to raise awareness about the status of wild rhinos.”
An eastern black rhino born in 2013 is the only other rhino born at the zoo in the organization's 134-year history.
In October 2023, a new 17-year-old rhino named Dakari was also introduced to the zoo as part of the Survival Plan. She will meet Mumbles sometime in 2024.
Kiazi had two more children at another organization in the past before moving to Zoo Atlanta.
The new parents were 'recommended' for breeding by the AZA White Rhino Species Survival Plan, of which the zoo is a member
White rhino pregnancies are among the longest in the animal kingdom, averaging between 16 and 18 months, and newborns weigh 100 to 150 pounds at birth
The semi-social and territorial animals, which occur in Angola, Namibia, Mozambique, Kenya and Zambia, can live up to 35 years in the wild and 40 years in captivity.
The herbivorous mammal is the most recognizable African rhino species. The southern white rhino stands 6 feet tall at the shoulder and weighs up to 6,000 pounds.
White rhino pregnancies are among the longest in the animal kingdom, averaging between 16 and 18 months, and newborns weigh 100 to 150 pounds at birth.
Breeding in this species occurs year-round, with courtship and mating periods lasting one to three weeks. The gestation period is approximately 16 months. Females usually start breeding when they are six years old and males when they are 10 to 12 years old.