Officials at Zoo Miami are ecstatic about the arrival of their newest addition, a highly endangered Indian Rhinoceros! It is the first ever such birth in the zoo’s history. It will be several weeks before mother and baby are put on display to ensure that they are not disturbed during the initial bonding period. (Photo Credit: Ron Magill/Zoo Miami)
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The stork arrived at Zoo Miami, and it brought a very rare and early Christmas gift.
A baby Indian one horned rhinoceros was born the morning of December 22 after it’s mother, 11 year-old Kalu, carried it for 16 months.
This marks the first ever successful birth of this highly endangered species in the history of all South Florida zoos and only the third birth in the U.S this year, according to Zoo Miami spokesperson Ron Magill.
SLIDESHOW: Zoo Miami Welcomes Indian Rhinoceros.
The arrival of this bundle of joy is also a major landmark in the international efforts to maintain this scarce species. Poached extensively for their horn, the species is down to about only 3,000 left in the wild.
The proud parents were brought to Zoo Miami from San Diego and New York as part of a breeding loan meant to add to their already dwindling numbers.
The sex of this bundle of joy will be determined once the veterinary team is able to perform a neonatal exam.
This is the first offspring for both Suru and Kalu.
