Rhino numbers are dwindling, primarily due to poaching and habitat loss.Īccording to the zoo, southern white and black rhinos are mega- herbivores, grazing on grasses - which helps maintain the diverse African grasslands, increasing plant diversity and providing grazing areas for other animals that share their native habitat, such as elephants, zebras, antelope and gazelles. There are five species of rhino: white, with a population estimated at 18,000, and black, estimated at 5,600, in Africa and greater one-horned, estimated at 3,600, Javan, estimated at 74, and Sumatran, estimated at 80, in Asia. The black rhinoceros also has the biggest horns in the family, which makes it even more fearsome. Even though it is not as big as the white rhinoceros, it can run up to an impressive 55 km/h (top speed of 34 mph). The zoo's Northern White Rhino Initiative is attempting to save the northern white rhino through reproductive technologies, including artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.Īt the Nikita Kahn Rhino Rescue Center, a team that includes wildlife care and health teams, reproductive physiologists and geneticists is working with southern white rhinos as a model for developing these technologies, with the ultimate goal to establish a population of northern white rhinos using banked genetic material. The black rhinoceros is the most dangerous member of its family. The work being done to conserve the northern white rhino may also be applied to other rhino species. Only two northern white rhinos remain on Earth, residing at a wildlife conservancy in Kenya. Livia is now among the candidates at the Nikita Kahn Rhino Rescue Center who could potentially serve in the future as a surrogate mother to a northern white embryo. But the current surge has been primarily driven by demand for horn in Vietnam. Powdered horn is used in traditional Asian medicine as a supposed cure for a range of illnesses from hangovers to fevers and even cancer. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance leaders said all rhino births are significant, and Neville's birth shows Livia can carry a calf to term and care for her offspring. The number of rhinos poached in South Africa alone has increased by 9,000 since 2007 - from 13 to a record 1,215 in 2014. When full-grown, at around 3 years of age, he could weigh between 4,000 and 5,000 pounds, and stand 6 feet tall at the shoulder. Neville was born at around 110 pounds and is gaining 3 to 5 pounds a week. Under the watchful eyes of Livia, the calf often interacts with the two adults - sometimes engaging in playful behavior, including head-butting, or just curiously watching their activities. Black rhinos (Diceros bicornis) are considered to be the fastest of the rhino species. In addition to spending time with his mother, Livia, Neville was recently introduced to two of the other adult females residing at the Rhino Rescue Center: Victoria and Wallis. They can get to between 25-31 mph (40-50 km/h). Rhinos coat themselves with a thick layer of mud that acts as a sunscreen and bug repellent, and helps to keep them cool. When it comes to speed, bears are ever-so-slightly faster than rhinos. Rolling in mud is a natural behavior of rhinos. He can be seen running at top speed around the habitat, frequently stopping to splash around and roll in mud wallows. Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. (2,000 to 3,000 lb.) White: More than 2 tn.
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