In an era when the Indian one-horned rhino is on the brink of extinction, the Wilds, a southeast Ohio conservation center, welcomed an Indian rhino calf earlier last week.
The Indian one-horned rhino is the largest Asian rhino. However, owing to extensive poaching and hunting activities, the species faces the threat of extinction. The animal is found only in a few regions and therefore, these places have become major tourist attractions. Amidst these concerns, the Wilds, a southeast Ohio conservation center welcomed an Indian rhino calf earlier last week. The calf was born to "Dailey," a rhino in the center and according to reports, both the mother and baby rhino are doing well.
This is the third calf for 17-year-old "Dailey "and the second for 10-year-old sire "Rustum" who is part of a group brought from India by the San Diego Zoo in 2007 to strengthen the genetics of the U.S. one-horned rhino population.
This is the fifth calf born in the conservation center and marks the success of its breeding program.
"We get excited about every rhino birth," said Dan Beetem, director of Animal Management, "but this calf is special because it represents an important new bloodline for the North American breeding program."
The one-horned rhino is considered to be an excellent swimmer and can run at a speed of up to 55km/hr in short bouts. The animal also has very poor sight, though its excellent sense of hearing and smell make up for it. While a fully grown male rhino weighs around 2000 - 2500kg, a female weighs around 1600kg. Their horns grow between 8 and 24 inches long. They breed all year long and the period of gestation is about 16 months.
The conservation of one-horned rhinos is often regarded as a success story. In 1990, only 200 such rhinos existed but by 2005, the number increased to 3,200 in the wild and 150 in human care.
