The Indianapolis Zoo is expecting its first baby rhino 🦏. See the ultrasound!

John Tufts and Katie Wiseman, Indianapolis Star
·2 min read
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Another baby is on the way at the Indianapolis Zoo, but for the first time, the baby is a rhinoceros. The zoo shared the news about the baby rhino in a press release and on social media Tuesday.

The mother is Zenzele, a 19-year-old white rhinoceros who arrived at the Indianapolis Zoo in June from The Wilds in Cumberland, Ohio. This calf is not her first, it will actually be her seventh.

Rhinoceros pregnancies last about 16 months and the baby is due in February.

The father, Kengele, is also a white rhino and is still at The Wilds. Male rhinoceroses naturally live in smaller ‘bachelor herds,’ mingling with female herds for mating.

Zenzele’s calf will bring the Indianapolis Zoo’s herd of rhinoceroses to five, including male Spike and females Mambo and Gloria. Gloria is also Zenzele’s grandmother.

"Both Zenzele and her calf are in good health," the statement said. "As with any pregnancy, complications are possible. The Zoo team is optimistic and looks forward to sharing updates."

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan recommended Zenzele be moved to the Indianapolis Zoo. The program guides AZA-accredited zoos to manage threatened and endangered species to ensure sustainable and genetically diverse populations.

In the wild, rhinoceros populations are threatened by habitat loss and poaching. Four of the five remaining species of rhinoceroses are at risk of extinction, according to the International Rhino Foundation.

White rhinos are categorized as near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. The Red List status represents the likelihood of a species becoming extinct in the near future.

While white rhinoceroses are the least threatened of the five rhinoceros species, Zenzele’s pregnancy raises awareness of conservation efforts to save rhinoceroses in the wild.

“The number of white rhinoceroses in the wild continues to decline, and it is crucial to raise awareness for their plight,” said Dr. Robert Shumaker, Indianapolis Zoo President and CEO. “The historic birth of this calf will be a symbol of hope for the conservation of rhinoceroses around the world.”

19-year-old Zenzele, a white rhino at the Indianapolis Zoo, is pregnant and due to give birth in February 2024. This will be the first baby rhino ever at the Indianapolis Zoo.
19-year-old Zenzele, a white rhino at the Indianapolis Zoo, is pregnant and due to give birth in February 2024. This will be the first baby rhino ever at the Indianapolis Zoo.

Katie Wiseman is a trending and breaking news intern at IndyStar. Contact her at klwiseman@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @itskatiewiseman.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis Zoo is expecting its first baby rhino in February