Zoo staff and wildlife fans are celebrating after discovering that a critically endangered black rhino is pregnant.
Seyia is pregnant and “due any day now,” staff at Cincinnati Zoo announced adding the baby will be her second calf with dad Faru.
The eastern black rhino was the only black rhino at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden when she arrived in 2013.
The then 3-year-old made the 860-mile journey from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she was born, the zoo announced in a blog post.
Cincinnati Zoo announced the news on Twitter, writing: “BIG news! Seyia is pregnant and due any day! Eastern black rhinos are critically endangered, so this is great news for the species.
“This will be her second calf with dad Faru.”
Seyia’s first calf was Kendi in 2017, following a 15-month pregnancy.
“Every rhino has its own personality and Seyia is a real sweetie, yet definitely has some sass and spunk to her,” the post added.
“She loves attention – getting a good rub down, taking a bubble bath, and most of all, interacting with her keepers during training sessions.”
Staff said a real bond has to form between keeper and rhino so the animals can be trained in a variety of different husbandry skills as black rhinos have a tendency to behave aggressively “charging readily at threats.”
‘Black rhino numbers have doubled’
Black rhinos, who are pregnant for 15-16 months, are critically endangered; numbers dropped 98 percent to less than 2,500 between 1960 and 1995.
“Thanks to persistent conservation efforts across Africa, black rhino numbers have doubled from their historic low 20 years ago to between 5,042 and 5,455 today,” the World Wildlife Fund said.
Congratulations Seyia! Wishing you a safe and successful delivery of your little one.
Please share this good news with all the wildlife lovers and conservation enthusiasts you know.
