CINCINNATI, OH (WCMH) — The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden announced the birth of a black rhino, Tuesday morning.
According to the zoo, Seyia, an eastern black rhino, gave birth to a healthy calf at about 5:05 a.m., Monday, after 30 minutes of labor. The sex of the calf has not been determined yet because the staff is keeping their distance from mother and baby during the critical bonding period.
The zoo has named the calf Kendi which means “the loved one” in Swahili.
“Every rhino calf born is incredibly important for the population, which includes fewer than 60 in North America. Calves will stay with their mothers for 3-4 years which means that the average female can only have one calf every five years,” said Christina Gorsuch, curator of mammals at the Cincinnati Zoo. “This calf is only the fifth eastern black rhino born in the last two years in North America. Only one surviving calf was born in 2014/2015.”
The zoo says the public will be able to see Kendi and Seyia in their outdoor habitat in a couple of weeks, weather and health depending. Kendi is the first black rhino born at the Cincinnati Zoo since 1999.WHAT’S TRENDING ONLINE NOW –
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