Southern white rhino born at NC Zoo, first in 41 years

ASHEBORO, N.C. — The newest resident at the North Carolina Zoo is making big news. A southern white rhino was born to mother Linda and father, Stormy, on Monday; the first calf born at the zoo in 41 years.

According to zookeepers, the female calf, who will be named later, is healthy, nursing and developing normally.

Weighing approximately 80-90 pounds, she will join the herd and be on view to the public as soon as possible.

The calf is expected to gain 100 pounds a month in the first year and could weigh anywhere from 3,500 to 5,500 pounds once fully grown.

The birth is a significant one for the zoo. In 2008, the zoo completed an expansion of its 40-acre Watani Grasslands, which was created specifically for a breeding rhino herd.

Pam Simmons, the zoo’s executive director, said in a release: "Every birth at the North Carolina Zoo is special and this one particularly so. With each new rhino born, it is a success story for this species as a whole.”

Southern white rhinos were once hunted to near extinction and populations in the wild today still face significant threats from poaching and habitat loss.

For more information, visit nczoo.org.

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