SAN DIEGO — A Southern California zoo has welcomed a baby southern white rhino.
According to KSWB-TV, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park announced Monday that an unnamed male calf was born Aug. 6 to parents Livia and J Gregory. The new arrival “is healthy, confident and full of energy,” the zoo said in a news release.
“We are so pleased Livia and her calf are doing so well. Seeing this energetic little rhino running around, wallowing in the mud and just being generally curious is very rewarding,” Jonnie Capiro, the park’s lead wildlife care specialist, said in a statement.
“While this is the first time Livia has given birth, we expected she would be a great mother – and she proves this every day.”
The attraction also took to social media to share a video of the adorable newborn.
The mother and son “will remain in their private habitat for a period of time while they continue to bond,” the news release added. The staff will then introduce the youngster to the rest of the zoo’s rhinos, officials said.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources considers southern white rhinos “near threatened.” About 18,000 remain in the wild, the zoo said.