Keepers had been keeping a watch around the clock at the “Kingdom of the Wild” enclosure, for over a week; so that they could be on hand to assist Cynthia to give birth if required.  Their patience was rewarded when at 1am she showed signs of going into labour.  After an anxious wait, she gave birth three hours later without assistance to the baby, whom keepers have named Zamba!

 

Not only is Zamba is the first ever white rhino calf to be born at Colchester Zoo, but also his birth was only made possible by a pioneering artificial insemination (A.I) treatment. This treatment was possible thanks to the help of Thomas Hildebrandt and Robert Hermes, wildlife reproduction experts from the Leibniz Institute of Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin.

 

Zamba’s father was Colchester Zoo’s late male white rhino, Simba, who sadly died in April due to a combination of age related health problems. Therefore, Cynthia’s successful pregnancy and the subsequent birth of Zamba leave a poignant legacy to Simba.

 

Zamba has been kept inside his enclosure as a precaution for the first few days, but he has now started to venture out onto the hardstand area of his enclosure with mum Cynthia, and can often be seen running circles around her; much to the fascination of the giraffes and zebras in the adjoining paddock area!

 

Anthony Tropeano, Colchester Zoo’s Zoological Director said, “We are obviously delighted by the safe arrival of baby Zamba, a first for Colchester Zoo.  It is all the more special because it is the first successful insemination of a white rhino in the UK, which is a critical development in the research work that the Berlin Institute is leading.”