Taronga Western Plains Zoo Indian Rhino Calf Born!

[zooboy28]

Australia's first ever Indian Rhino calf - a male - was born Sunday!

TWPZ's Facebook anouncement:

Taronga Western Plains Zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of the first Greater One-horned Rhino calf in Australia! The little male calf was born to first time mother Amala on Sunday 25th October. Mother and calf are doing very well and keepers are very happy with the progress so far. We will be sharing more about this new addition later on tonight - stay tuned!

 

[Jabiru96]

Wooooooo ! Congrats to all keepers at TWPZ, and of course Amala and Dora!

EDIT: Here is a press release by the zoo: https://taronga.org.au/media/media-...-welcomes-first-greater-one-horned-rhino-calf

 

[Chlidonias]

Oh WOW! That is fantastic news. I saw the new thread title, thought "lum te tum, Indian rhino calf... wait - Western Plains Zoo!?"

Quoting myself from http://www.zoochat.com/24/exotic-mammals-australian-zoos-415741/

*Indian Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) – one pair at Western Plains Zoo

The male Dora was imported to WPZ from Nagoya Zoo (Japan) in 2003. A female named Kua was imported from San Diego Zoo (USA) in 2006 but died at Taronga in 2007 before being moved on. A new female, Amala from Oklahoma City Zoo (USA), was imported in 2009. They have not bred.

 

[vogelcommando]

Are these the only Indian rhinos in Australia or are there other zoos keeping this species ? BTW fantastic news !

 

[zooboy28]

Are these the only Indian rhinos in Australia or are there other zoos keeping this species ? BTW fantastic news !

TWPZ is the only zoo to hold the species in Australasia, so the total population here is now 3!

I don't know if any other zoos are interested in keeping the species, white rhinos are most common here by far, while black rhinos are also bred at TWPZ and spare males at one or two other zoos. It would be great to see both Indian and black rhinos well established, in addition to whites, but I'm not sure that is possible with the spaces available.

 

[kiang]

Congratulations to all at the park, one of an elite group now that has bred 3 species of rhino.

 

[Chlidonias]

short article here, with some photos and a video: Taronga Western Plains Zoo's baby Indian rhino follows his mum everywhere | Daily Mail Online

 

[Nisha]

Congratulations Dubbo (and Australia!)

 

[vogelcommando]

And another article about the birth :
Meet the First Greater One-horned Rhino Born in Australia - ZooBorns

 

[jay]

considering how fantastic and mythical they look, I would love to see more Aussie zoos have them. Congrats to Dubbo for three out three species bred.