It’s a boy!
Werribee Open Range Zoo welcomed a precious Southern White Rhino calf on Sunday 18 August to proud mum, Kipenzi and dad Kifaru.
The calf’s birth is a major milestone for the Zoo and breeding efforts for the species in Australasia.
Native to Southern Africa, it is estimated as few as 10,080 Southern White Rhino remain in the wild.
Keepers and vets are marvelling at the remarkable bond the calf is forming with Kipenzi – a hand-reared rhino who had never previously seen or experienced successful mothering.
They are both currently homed in a keeper-only area that was specially prepared for the calf’s birth. Keepers continue to monitor their development and behavioural cues.
In the coming weeks, the calf will firstly be introduced to the wider rhino crash and then at a later date to the Zoo’s savannah, where the public will be able to meet him.
Southern White Rhinos are classified as Near Threatened. They face increasing threats including poaching for the illegal trade of rhino horn and habitat destruction and fragmentation as human populations and infrastructure grows.
The rhino calf will be named in coming weeks through a voting competition for Zoos Victoria members and donors.
While Kipenzi and her calf spend some important quiet time together, visitors are still able to see other Southern White Rhinos and an array of other animals while on a Safari Bus Tour, which is included in zoo entry.
