Two More Rhino Calves Bolster Conservation Efforts
December 04, 2012
The Wilds conservation center welcomed two Rhinoceros calves this fall! Born within one month of one another, each young Rhino is actually a separate species. The Greater One-horned Rhinoceros (a.k.a. the Indian Rhino) was born Oct. 14, 2012 (pictured above and last), following shortly after the arrival of a Southern White Rhinoceros born Sept. 28, 2012 (pictured second).
Photo credit: The Wilds
The fourth Greater One-horned Rhino born at the Wilds, marks the continuing success of this southeast Ohio conservation center's breeding program. This is the second calf for dam "Sanya" and the first for sire "Rustum". "Rustum" is part of a group brought from India by the San Diego Zoo in 2007 to bolster the genetics of the U.S. one-horned Rhino population.
“Rustum came to us as a young male and took some time to mature. It is exciting to see that his bloodline will now be represented in the North American Rhino population,” said Director of Animal Management Dan Beetem.
Nineteen-year-old “Julie,” the Wilds oldest female Southern White Rhino, gave birth to her fifth calf on Sept. 28, 2012. The sire, 9-year-old “Fireball,” came to the Wilds in 2008 as part of the Southern White Rhinoceros Species Survival Plan (SSP). The calf is the twelfth Southern White Rhino born at the Wilds.
“We are fortunate to have the space here at the Wilds to manage our White Rhinos in a large social group like you would see in Africa,” said Beetem. “Many of our visitors had the opportunity to see the herd interacting with the newest addition.”
Both calves were born out in the open pastures, but will spend the winter with the herds at the Wilds' Rhino Management Facility.
There are now four greater One-horned Rhinos at the Wilds and 12 Southern White Rhinos. The calves will remain with the herd until they are needed to support the SSP.
There are five species of Rhinoceros; black and white Rhinos are found in Africa and the Greater One-horned, Javan and Sumatran Rhinos are found in Asia. Despite some conservation success stories all Rhino species are in peril from poaching and loss of habitat.