Endangered rhinos bred in the UK have given birth to healthy babies
Conservationists are celebrating after two critically-endangered rhinos bred in the UK then released into the wild gave birth to healthy babies.
The pair of female eastern black rhinos, Grumeti and Zawadi, were bred at the Aspinall Foundation’s Port Lympne wildlife park in Kent in a bid to save the critically-endangered species.
They were released into the wild in Tanzania in 2012 where they mated with a male and have now given birth to healthy calves, each weighing around 36kg (5st 9lbs), according to conservationists.
New arrivals - the babies could live for up to 50 years (Pictures: PA)
Grumeti’s new arrival is called Mobo, while Zawadi’s calf, who was born second, has yet to be named.
They will stay with their mothers for three to five years and could live for up to 50 years.
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Damian Aspinall, chairman of the Aspinall Foundation, said the births are a “remarkable and vital breakthrough” in the foundation’s efforts to protect the one of the most threatened sub-species of rhino.
Only around 700 remain in the wild, and conservationists say demand for rhino horn in Asia is pushing the species to extinction.
Breakthrough - the births have been hailed as a breakthrough in efforts to conserve the species
Mr Aspinall said: “This is what modern conservation should be about and is the culmination of decades of effort and commitment by the Aspinall Foundation.
The Aspinall Foundation has seen 36 eastern black rhinos born at Port Lympne in the last 20 years, with the newest arrival coming just last month and two more on the way this month, the organisation said.
Eight rhinos have been returned by the foundation to Africa as part of its "back to the wild” programme which reintroduces endangered species to the wild.
