Santa has replaced the stork this Christmas at Taronga Western Plains delivering a baby rhino calf to the zoo a few days early. The female calf was born on December 19th during the early morning,
According to keepers experienced Mother Mopani has been doing a great job of looking after the calf.
The young calf brings to a close Taronga Zoo’s highly successful year with breeding rhino’s. It is the third born this year following a black rhino in April and the first Indian (Greater One-Horned) Rhino in October. This is a significant achievement as Taronga Western Plains Zoo has managed to breed all 3 rhino species they hold over the year.
Unit Supervisor, Pascale Benoit said, “Kamari’s birth and the other successful rhino births this year serve as a timely reminder about how important our conservation breeding programs are for species that are so heavily under threat in the wild.”
The young calf has received the name Kamari from keepers. Meaning ‘moonlight’ in Swahili the name symbolises the calves early morning birth.
Taronga Western Plains Zoo provide support through funding for habitat protection and reforestation, anti-poaching and rhino protection units to help reduce human rhino conflict throughout Africa, Indonesia and India.
This is along with their breeding programs at the zoo. Zoo Director, Matthew Fuller explained that, “Staff are absolutely thrilled to be celebrating another precious rhino birth, it is wonderful to end a hugely successful conservation breeding program on such a positive note for 2015,”
Keepers are expecting that Kamari will be on exhibit in the white rhino habitat over the school holiday’s.
Photo Credit: Taronga Western Plains Zoo
