A zoo in Melbourne welcomed a trunkload of joy last week as their resident rhino gave birth to a little male.
It’s the second calf that Mother Kipensi has had at the zoo, and it’s already displayed a “forthright” personality.
Kipenzi is an 11-year-old southern white rhino, one of the most numerous rhino subspecies. Her calf was born on August 18th, and unlike her first baby which she tragically rejected years ago, she has been an attentive mother this time around.
Sheltered from public view as the two bond, visitors will soon be able to see the new boy stomping about his enclosure. Dr. Mark Pilgrim, the zoo’s director, said that Kipenzi was “doing her best to shepherd it and keep it close to her, and making sure that it’s not wandering off too far. So she’s just doing the perfect thing we expect a mother rhino to do.”
Kipenzi herself was born at Werribee Zoo in 2013 to resident rhino Sisi, who also presented a danger to her calf as she would not let Kipenzi out of her sight, even just to walk alongside her to nurse.
The new rhino calf will be named by public vote in the coming weeks. His mother’s name means “precious one” in Swahili.
Of what Dr. Pilgrim expects of the calf over the months and years, he told The Guardian: “He’s going to be a real handful later on.”
WATCH those first steps below…
This article by Andy Corbley was first published by The Good News Network on 29 August 2024. Lead Image: credit – Werribee Open Range Zoo.
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