Rare rhino birth

A rare eastern black rhino calf is the newest arrival at Chester Zoo. Keepers at Chester Zoo are celebrating the successful birth of a rare black rhino calf. The calf, an endangered Eastern Black Rhino, is the first to be born at Chester Zoo in the last 10 years. The calf and her mother Kitani are currently being kept inside the Tsavo rhino house at the zoo but are expected to be on show to visitors shortly.

The black rhino suffered a 96% decline in numbers between 1970 and 1992 and with only 700 eastern black rhino's left in the wild an international breeding programme is aiming to boost numbers, Kitani's calf will eventually become part of this and return to Africa.


It's Kitani's first calf and the zoo hopes it won't be the last calf born at the zoo, "For a first time mum, she is proving to be a natural and we are delighted with the progress Kitani and her calf are making in these first fragile few days," said Kevin Buley, Chester Zoo's Head of Zoo Programmes.