2 Rare Rhinos Born a Week Apart at the Same Zoo: 'These Youngsters Are Absolutely Vital'
It was double the joy at this British zoo as two rare eastern black rhinos came into the world one week apart.
Kitani, 20, was the first mother rhino to give birth at the Chester Zoo on June 19. Kitani's delivery was caught on camera and she can be seen spinning around in circles until her calf suddenly emerged.
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Zuri’s calf was born exactly one week later on June 26, as the tenth Eastern black rhino at the zoo.
Ten-year-old Zuri was filmed grazing with her baby beside her. There is also footage of Kitani’s baby up close in their enclosure.
The births are a magnificent boost to the species, said Tim Rowlands, the Chester Zoo's curator of mammals.
“The whole team is overjoyed and we now hope that these little ones help create more awareness of the plight of their cousins in the wild,” he said in a statement.
The eastern black rhino, which is poached for its horn, has been placed on the critically endangered list by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
Read: Father of the Year: Rhino Donates Blood Each Week to His Unborn Calf
“Conservation is critical, which is why these youngsters are absolutely vital,” the zoo’s collections director, Mike Jordan, said in a statement.
The zoo is also home to two one-horned rhinos, along with the ten black rhinos.
Watch: Zoo's Newborn Black Rhino Loves Getting Its Nose Scratched
