Werribee Open Range Zoo is celebrating new life this week with the birth of a Southern White Rhino male calf.
Born Sunday 18 August to 15 year old father, Kifaru [pronounced: Kif-are-oo] and 11-year-old mother Kipenzi [pronounced: Kip-en-zee] following a 16-month pregnancy, the 60-kilogram Southern White Rhino male calf has been keeping close company to his mother over the past week, already thriving in his infancy.
The calf’s birth is a major milestone for Werribee Open Range Zoo and their breeding efforts for the species in Australasia. Native to Southern Africa, it is estimated as few as 10,080 Southern White Rhino remain in the wild. Keepers and vets are marvelling at the remarkable bond the calf is forming with Kipenzi – a hand-reared rhino who had never previously seen or experienced successful mothering.
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Werribee Open Range Zoo Director Dr Mark Pilgrim said staff are thrilled that the calf going from strength to strength. “This is an exciting time because the calf is suckling from mum regularly,” Dr Pilgrim said. “Kipenzi is taking extremely well to motherhood and has been very gentle, attentive and calm. She also calls him back if he strays too far.”
Kipenzi was born at Werribee Open Range Zoo in 2013 to her mother Sisi [pronounced: See-see], a protective rhino who would keep Kipenzi nestled in front of her eyeline. This prevented suckling, which is critical to a calf’s health and resulted in keepers and vets intervening to hand-rear Kipenzi and ensure her survival. In March last year, Kipenzi gave birth to her first calf; however, on that occasion she also did not take easily to motherhood. In the initial hours post-birth, she leaned her two-tonne physique onto her calf. This sadly resulted in fatal trauma.
“Vets and keepers closely monitored the birth of this second newborn and were prepared to provide support, if necessary,” Dr Pilgrim said. “This time, Kipenzi has risen to the task and we are all so incredibly proud of her. They are both currently homed in a keeper-only area that was specially prepared for the calf’s birth. Keepers continue to monitor their development and behavioural cues. In the coming weeks, the calf will firstly be introduced to the wider rhino crash and then at a later date to the Zoo’s savannah, where the public will be able to meet him.”
Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos said the birth recognises the extraordinary efforts and resilience of the calf’s mother and the dedicated team of keepers and vets in conserving this magnificent species.
“We’re delighted to celebrate the birth of a Southern White Rhino calf at Werribee Open Range Zoo. I encourage families to take advantage of their free entry for kids this school holidays and learn more about the critical work being done to protect these treasured animals into the future.”
Southern White Rhinos are classified as Near Threatened. They face increasing threats including poaching for the illegal trade of rhino horn and habitat destruction and fragmentation as human populations and infrastructure grows. The Australasian Southern White Rhino zoo breeding program plays a crucial role supporting efforts to conserve wild rhino populations by connecting people with the plight of the species, nurturing genetically diverse groups of the species in protected zoo environments, and increasingly supporting fund raising efforts to conserve the species in their native home. These ex-situ populations also help to manage risk and could be called on in case of ongoing decline in the wild.
The rhino calf will be named in coming weeks through a voting competition for Zoos Victoria members and donors. While Kipenzi and her calf spend some important quiet time together, visitors are still able to see other Southern White Rhinos and an array of other animals while on a Safari Bus Tour, which is included in zoo entry.
For further information on Werribee Open Range Zoo including memberships, passes, site information and to track the new-borns’ progress head here.
