It’s always great news at the zoo when a new animal is born, but it’s especially great when it’s part of an endangered community. Each new birth is a step towards ensuring their survival from extinction.
Now, the Kansas City Zoo is celebrating the birth of a newborn oriental black rhinoceros – a critically endangered species with only a few hundred left in the world.
The zoo announced that the baby was born on December 31, the long-awaited first birth of new mother Ζuri, along with her partner Ruκ. The zoo reports that both mother and child are fine.
“Professional caretakers for rhinoceros animals say baby rhinos are walking, nursing and even fighting, and Ζυri is a patient and caring first-time mother,” the zoo wrote on Facebook.
Zoos provide them with some space to bond privately in their enclosures with limited human interaction. After they’ve been alone for a while, zoos will perform newborn screenings to confirm the baby’s sex and health.
The international black rhino is listed as “Critically Endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They are threatened by illegal cockroaches and habitat loss.
There are currently only about 740 left in the wild and only 53 in facilities authorized by the Ζoos Association & Aquarium. It is the rarest black rhino species left and can only be found in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. The rarity of the eastern black rhino makes this birth even more special.
Black rhinos have a gestation period of about 15-16 months. It is the first child of both Ζuri and Ruκa, who arrived at the zoo in 2018 from Oregon Ζoo, on the recommendation of AΖA’s Sρecies Survival Ρlan.
That’s great news — this little rhino is not only adorable, but an inspiring step forward for one of the world’s most endangered species.
Share this great news if you love rhinos!
theanimalclub.net
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education