An Unexpected Baby Black Rhino Arrives At A Kansas Zoo

A young black rhino has been born at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas. Bibi, a female Rhino, gives birth to KJ, short for Klyde Jr, a completely unexpected young boy!

The newborn boy was delivered at 6 a.m. on Monday and is doing well.

Furthermore, this birth comes as a shock because it occurred months after the father Rhino’s death. However, it is important to remember that Rhino pregnancies are unlike those of humans or even other animals.

Pregnancies in humans last around nine months, but mother Rhinos bear their kids for up to 16 months. In September 2020, the zoo’s only male Rhino died. As a result, they didn’t anticipate a baby any time soon, but little did they know.

According to estimates, Bibi became pregnant during their breeding season in October 2019. Workers at the Zoo were taken aback when laboratory testing revealed she was pregnant. Bibi had been pregnant for most of 2020, but the Rhino didn’t start exhibiting indications until the last two weeks of 2021.

Sedgwick County Zoo welcomed its newest inhabitant on March 1st.

According to WWF, European hunters have significantly reduced the population of Black Rhinos since the twentieth century. They’ve been driven to the verge of extinction. These lovely animals are still classified as endangered. Rhino horn poaching and black-market trafficking are still a problem. As a result, this birth is significant for the species.

Following the birth, the Zoo decided to keep the two indoors in the African Veldt exhibit. Employees at the Zoo will be able to baby-proof the outer space as a result of this. Regardless, KJ has taken his first steps and has accomplished all of the phases.

We’re hoping for more baby Rhino births this season!