The female rhino named Aruna living in the Nyíregyházi Zoo gave birth to her calf on November 4th, 2022 at 19:56. The birth of the small Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is a huge zoological success, since it requires serious expertise to get these solitary animals, which rarely breed in captivity, to mate naturally Nyíregyházi Zoo wrote to our interest. The one from Nyíregyháza is the eighth Indian rhinoceros calf born in captivity in the world this year.
Specialists are constantly monitoring the everyday life and growth of the currently 62 kilogram animal. The calf drinks 20-30 liters of mother’s milk per day, thanks to which it gains 1-2 kg per day and at the age of sexual maturity, its body weight will reach up to 2.5 tons. As it is written, the herd of Indian rhinoceros breeding in the Nyíregyháza Zoo currently consists of 3 sexually mature animals, which were brought to Nyíregyháza as part of the European Species Conservation Breeding Program. The female rhino is only able to conceive for a few days, so the caretakers monitored her constantly, while the veterinary team tested hormone levels weekly to find the most optimal time for mating. After the successful date, as the pregnancy progressed, the caretakers monitored the pregnant rhino through a camera system in the evenings.
The older cow, 14-year-old Jázmin, gave birth to her calf in 2018 (this animal was the first to be born in the country) and is now the calf born to Hans, the 18-year-old sire, and 11-year-old Aruna. The Nyíregyházi Zoo, which turns 25 this year, considers the recently born Indian rhinoceros bull and the African elephant calf born 11 weeks ago as a very serious professional success. The breeding of the two most endangered thick-skinned animals in difficult closed conditions – reads the announcement of the zoo.
telex.hu
Photo: Nyíregyháza Zoo
