ASHEBORO, N.C. (WFMY) – Friday the 13th is supposed to be an unlucky day… Well, that’s not the case for the North Carolina Zoo.
For the second time in less than two weeks, the NC Zoo welcomes its second baby white rhino.
The female calf was born in the overnight hours of Friday, July 13 to mother Kit in the Watani Grasslands habitat.
According to the zookeepers, the calf is healthy and well, and expected to gain 100 pounds a month in the first year and could weigh 3,500 to 5,500 pounds as an adult.
“Congratulations again to the North Carolina Zoo on this second birth of a southern white rhino! The Zoo’s efforts to save this species are yet another example of the leadership role the Zoo plays in conserving important species both at home and around the world,” said Susi H. Hamilton, secretary of the NC Dept. of Natural and Cultural Resources.
PHOTOS | Second Baby Rhino Born At NC Zoo In Less Than Two Weeks
“When people visit our rhino family, they get the chance to see truly unique animals in one of the largest, most natural habitats for this species in the world,” said North Carolina Zoo Director Pat Simmons. “Visiting the Zoo supports our efforts to help save this species in the wild.”
Now, the Zoo’s herd consists of a total of nine rhinos: male Stormy, females Linda and her still unnamed calf, Kit and her unnamed female calf, Natalie and Abby. Two older rhinos, Stan and Olivia, live in a retirement habitat.
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