What is more heartwarming than a Southern white rhino calf? A rhino calf with the zoomies! And this one at the Auckland Zoo runs about her mother. Even though the adult rhino is having lunch, she still watches her excited baby closely.
The rhino calf is only a few weeks old, and it almost seems like she can already outrun her mother! But not only is she an exciting little calf, but she is also a special one. This baby rhino is the first one to be born in the Zoo in the last twenty years.
She was born hale and healthy. Our Southern white baby rhino weighed about 65 kilograms at birth. And this occasion marked a successful benchmark for the Australasian breeding program.
Her mother, Jamila, gestated for 16 months. Then underwent one-hour labor in the wee hours of August 14. The caretakers monitored her by checking progesterone levels. The results were good predictors of when she will give birth.
The Zoo’s ungulates team installed low-light security camera sets. They used the cameras to supervise Jamila while she was pregnant. With these cameras, they could watch her night and day - or even at home.
Jamila arrived at Auckland Zoo from the Hamilton Zoo. She was brought in the hopes that she would become a first-time mother. The wait has been long, but it has been worth it.
Mother Jamila cares so much about her calf. She focuses on the needs of her baby. Every day, the baby calf grows and finds her feet. In this video, she does little jumps and dances. All very charming to watch.
