There is a cause for celebration at Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Over the weekend, the park celebrated the birth of a baby white rhinoceros to Disney’s Animal Kingdom family. This is not only exciting from the birth of a baby standpoint but also because it continues to push forward efforts to save this beautiful endangered species.
The baby rhino was born after a 16-month pregnancy. A boy, he weighed around 150 pounds at birth. He was born to mother Kendi. Kendi happens to also be the very first rhino to be born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 1999. This is the 11th white rhino calf born at Walt Disney World Resort. Kendi was paired with dad Dugan as one of the Species Survival Plans which is overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. This is to ensure that breeding is done responsibly for endangered species.
Both the mother and baby or calf as they are called, are doing well and are being watched by the keepers at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. According to Disney, white rhinos are generally gregarious by nature. However, the calf is resting, nursing, and bonding with his mother at this time.
This calf does not have a name yet. He will be joining the “crash” – the name for a group of rhinos – on Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s savanna in the next few weeks. Then guests aboard the Kilimanjaro Safaris will have the chance to see this young white rhino in its habitat.
This young baby rhino isn’t the only one joining to be joining the crash at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, however. The team there is also caring for two other rhinos which are expected to give birth in 2021. This is a big deal with white rhinos, which are the world’s second-largest land animal, are an endangered species with a near-threatened status.
