An endangered Indian rhinoceros calf stands in its enclosure in the zoo in Wroclaw, Poland on Sunday. The calf, born January 6, is the first Indian rhinoceros birth in the zoo’s 155-year history. Photo, Video Credit: Zoo Wrocław/AP
Animals PolandIt’s a Girl! Endangered Rhino Born at Poland Zoo
Poland’s Wroclaw Zoo welcomed the very first female Indian rhinoceros birth in the zoo’s 155-year history, giving hope for the survival of the endangered species.
“The first-time mom behaves wonderfully,” says zoo president Radoslaw Ratajszczak. “She looks after her daughter, allows her to nurse, and is very delicate, despite weighing more than 2 tons. When she lies down, she’s very careful not to crush the little one, and even gently moves her aside.”
A protection program was established in the 1970s to protect the Indian rhino since the species was close to extinction. Today, there are 3,600 animals, including 170 that live in 66 zoos around the world.
