Baby Rhino at Bedfordshire Conservation Zoo Takes Wobbly Steps 2 Hours After Birth [Watch Video]

A conservation zoo in Bedfordshire welcomed a new addition to the family. A baby rhino was born, and it was a boy.

Newborn Baby Rhino at Bedfordshire Zoo

Jaseera, a 13-year-old rhino, gave birth to a southern white rhino calf after a four-minute labor at Whipsnade Zoo on March 7. The newborn tipped the scales and weighed in at 45 kilograms.

Just two hours after birth, the newborn rhino started walking wobbly. The calf was Jaseera's first baby, and her maternal instincts immediately kicked in.

Southern white rhinos "grow into" their large, rubbery feet from birth, so it makes sense that the calf was initially rather unsteady as he began walking, according to rhino keeper Mark Holden. He also complimented the baby rhino for being a "fast learner." After a week, the calf was zooming around and exploring his indoor den.

Jaseera is a fantastic rhino mother because she has been caring for the youngster and showing him a lot of love, Holden said of the first-time mom.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that only 10,000 mature southern white rhinos remain in the wild, and that number is still declining. For this reason, this birth is extremely valuable.

Holden lamented that these amazing animals are still hunted in the wild. Owing to false notions about the horns' medicinal properties, traditional Asian medicine largely uses the stolen horns. More than one white rhino was murdered every day in South Africa alone last year for their horn, amounting to over 500 deaths overall.

The newborn calf was born as part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), which aims to support conservation zoos such as Whipsnade by establishing a genetically varied and robust backup population.

According to Holden, the young calf is expected to carry on his father's legacy, Sizzle, who has been an essential part of the EEP. Holden described Sizzle as an "incredible bull." He reportedly has 15 calves at Whipsnade Zoo, and those calves have produced 37 grandchildren around Europe. He also has 13 great-grandchildren.

What Are Rhinoceros (Rhinos)?

Rhinos were originally widely dispersed across Europe, Asia, and Africa, and early European painters captured them in their works of cave art. About 500,000 rhinos inhabited Africa and Asia at the start of the 20th century, and about 27,000 rhinos are still living in the wild after the rhino population fell to 70,000 by 1970.

Due to years of sustained poaching and habitat deterioration, few rhinos remain outside national parks and reserves. The black, Javan, and Sumatran rhino species are critically endangered.

Currently, only one national park on the northernmost point of the Indonesian island of Java is home to a small number of Javan rhinos. In 2011, Vietnam announced the extermination of a Javan rhino subspecies on its territory.

Greater one-horned (or Indian) rhinos have increased from about 200 at the turn of the 20th century to about 3,700 today, thanks to successful conservation initiatives. One of Asia's greatest success stories is the larger one-horned rhino, whose status has improved from endangered to vulnerable due to notable population growth.

However, habitat loss and degradation, as well as poaching for its horn, continue to threaten the species.

Check out more news and information on Northern White Rhino in Science Times.