A Eastern Black Rhinoceros calf was born on July 1 at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, and it's a boy! The calf weighed about 80 pounds (36 kg) at birth and is growing fast. In just four weeks he now tips the scales at about 150 pounds (68 kg). When fully grown he will weigh about 3,000 pounds or 1360 kg! Animal keepers will give mother and baby time to bond and hope they can be put on exhibit shortly in the Zoo’s African Savanna.
The Zoo hopes the public will help name the calf by visiting clemetzoo.com and voting through August 9 for their favorite potential rhino name. Tthe winning name will be revealed on August 10.
The Eastern Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis michaeli) is classified as “Critically Endangered” in the wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the primary organization for quantifying conservation assessment efforts. The IUCN estimates there are less than 1,000 of this rhino subspecies left in the wild, concentrated primarily in Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has been very successful in breeding Eastern Black Rhinos as part of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Species Survival Program; this is the fifth successful rhino birth at the Zoo since 2000.
Photo Credit: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
This new calf is the first Eastern Black Rhino birth in North America since January, 2011 and marks the start of a third generation of rhinos at this zoo. The calf is the offspring of Kibibbi, 8, and Jimma, 22, which makes the Zoo’s other female adult rhino, Inge, a grandmother! The baby will soon join them along with Inges 2-year-old daughter Johari on exhibit.
“We couldn’t be happier with how well Kibibbi is taking care of her calf,” said Andi Kornak, the Zoo’s Curator of Animals. “But it’s not surprising considering what a good example Inge has set as a successful rhino mom."
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