Critically Endangered Sumatran Rhino welcomes her First Calf, Species of Fewer than 50 Animals
This is absolutely amazing and it gives hope for the future of this amazing species!
Beautiful little baby!!! It looks like a stuffed animal Congratulations
On November 25, a healthy male Sumatran rhinoceros was born at a western Indonesian sanctuary. This birth is welcome news for the critically endangered species. There are less than 50 Sumatran rhinos left, according to the World Wildlife Fund “WWF” and the International Union for Conservation of Nature “IUCN”.
A seven-year-old female rhino named Delilah gave birth to the 55 pound calf at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Way Kambas National Park “SRS TNWK” on the island of Sumatra. According to officials from the sanctuary, a conservation guard found her laying next to her calf early on Saturday morning. The birth was about 10 days before the baby’s expected due date.
The baby’s father is a rhino named Harapan who was born at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden in Ohio before coming to Sumatra.
Delilah brought that calf into the world and started nursing it with no fuss or fanfare. It’s an incredible event that gives hope to the future of this critically [en.dang.ered] species.
Such a beautiful little baby. She looks very surprised to be here! Welcome to the world, little one!
Sumatran rhinos are the smallest of all rhino species at about 1,000 to 2,100 pounds and three to four feet tall. They have two horns that are dark gray to black. The horns are usually very smooth and form a slender cone that is curved backwards in the wild. Poaching, illegal trading of rhino horns, and climate change have pushed these mammals to the brink of [ext.inc.tion].
According to the IUCN Red List, they are currently [ex.tin.ct] in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, according to the Red List. It is uncertain if they are still present in Myanmar.
Successful births like this one are also rare. In 2012, a male rhino named Andatu born at Way Kambas became the first Sumatran rhino born in an Indonesian sanctuary in over 120 years.
Fascione share: Two years ago there was only one captive Sumatran rhino pair in the world able to successfully produce offspring. Now there are three pairs–six rhinos–who are proven breeders. Those are much better odds for the long-term survival of this species.
The new addition brings the rhino herd at Way Kambas up to 10 animals and follows the birth of another calf in September.
The sanctuary is part of a special zone in the national park where all of the rhinos are protected and looked after by local experts. The main objective is to produce Sumatran rhino calves to maintain the survival of the Sumatran rhino species which is now [thre.atened] with [ex.tinc.tion].
The Sumatran rhino calves are the result of a breeding program. In the future, at SRS TNWK they can be released back into their natural habitat.
Veterinarians from the Rhino Foundation of Indonesia (Yayasan Badak Indonesia) and animal care staff will continue to closely monitor Delialah and her new calf as they bond.
This makes my animal loving heart so happy! Hopefully we keep them alive longer…
Blessings and good fortune to all those who helped. Or, would have liked to help.
Born with a face only a mother could love but besides that.. This is tremendous news!!
