An endangered white rhino named Kendi gave birth to a 150-pound boy at the Animal Kingdom theme park in Florida’s Walt Disney World over the weekend.
Baby (Rhino) Steps
Both rhinos are thriving under the care of the zookeepers, Disney said in a press release, according to the Associated Press. Kendi’s pregnancy lasted a grand total of 16 months.
The next step is for park staff to introduce the baby rhino to his crash, or larger group, on the Animal Kingdom savanna.
The new rhino is the 11th white rhino born at Disney World. And Disney claims two more are due soon.
Sunday’s birth was thanks to the Species Survival Plans, which the Association of Zoos and Aquariums supervises. The plans guarantee the responsible breeding of endangered species.
White rhinos are an endangered species. They have a near-threatened status.
Some are known as the northern square-lipped rhinoceros. Those are extremely rare. There is also a southern white rhinoceros. That subspecies of rhinoceros is more common.
The northern white rhinoceros is nearly extinct by now. Poachers target the rhinos for their horns, which some cultures believe have medicinal uses.
Gregarious Grazers
White rhinos are also the second largest land mammal on the planet, after the elephant.
The rhinos can live to be 50 years old, WPRI reports. They are grazers and typically feed on short grass and leaves. And they can go as long as five days without drinking water.
“While rhinos are gregarious by nature,” Disney said in a statement, “for now, the calf is resting, nursing and bonding with his mom.”
The baby rhino should go on to join the rest of the rhinos in the next few weeks, according to the statement.
“Guests aboard the park’s Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction will then have a chance to see the calf in its habitat,” Disney said.
