Baby news: KC Zoo’s Zuri, Ruka expecting eastern black rhino calf to be born in winter
Zuri and Ruka, two eastern black rhinoceros at the Kansas City Zoo, are expecting to give birth to their first calf this winter, the zoo announced this week.
The baby rhino is expected to be born in December or January and will likely weigh between 75 and 100 pounds, the zoo said.
To make sure her pregnancy is advancing normally, the zoo is giving Zuri, who is in her third trimester, weekly ultrasounds and blood hormone monitoring. The gestation period for black rhinos is typically 15 to 16 months.
Zuri’s animal care specialists trained with her to prepare for regular checkups by the zoo’s veterinary health team. She stands patiently for the ultrasounds, the zoo said.
Both Zuri and Ruka arrived in Kansas City from the Oregon Zoo in April 2018 on recommendation of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan. Fifteen-year-old Zuri was born at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and 11-year-old Ruka was born at the Saint Louis Zoo.
With only about 740 eastern black rhinos left in the wild, they are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. There are 53 eastern black rhinos in facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums.
The eastern black rhinoceros is the rarest of the three remaining black rhino subspecies. They can be found in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. The biggest threat to them are poachers who desire the rhinos’ horns.
The Kansas City Zoo, through its Conservation Fund, is working with several programs in Africa to ward off poaching and protect the animals.
This story was originally published July 29, 2022 at 9:24 AM with the headline "Baby news: KC Zoo’s Zuri, Ruka expecting eastern black rhino calf to be born in winter."
