The pitter patter of baby Rhino feet are due to be heard this December at Colchester Zoo!

Colchester Zoo is delighted to announce the BIG news that White rhino Emily is due to give birth to her 3rd calf at the end of December 2019! The pregnancy was confirmed via hormone analysis from faecal samples sent to a specialised lab in Austria.

Emily is now 8 months pregnant which means that she became pregnant within 2 months of being reunited with her old flame, Otto the male White rhino. Otto is the father of Emily’s previous calves, Pembe and Kifaru. Pembe was born in 2013 and Kifaru celebrated his 2nd birthday on the 3rd February 2019. Otto temporarily left Colchester Zoo on breeding loan to Woburn Safari Park, during his time there unfortunately he did not sire any young however, on return to his home at Colchester he soon reignited the flame he had with Emily!

Colchester Zoo has had a number of previous successful births as part of the breeding programme for White rhinos and this new arrival will be the 5th calf to be born at the park.

Kifaru is just one of Otto’s young here at Colchester Zoo as he also fathered female, Pembe also with Emily and male, Mabaso with late rhino Cynthia. Pembe went on to a breeding group at Marwell Zoo in June 2016 and Mabaso left for Flamingo Land in May 2017. The 1st calf to be born at the zoo was Zamba, he was born via artificial insemination to our late rhinos Cynthia and Simba. Zamba went on to Manor House Wildlife Park in August 2012.

Emily arrived at Colchester Zoo in September 2003 and Otto came to us in November 2009. Both have lived together since Otto’s arrival and so it is clear that absence made the heart grow fonder in this case when Otto returned from Woburn!

White rhinos are listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, this is due to the poaching crisis and ivory trade, so this pregnancy is brilliant news for the conservation of this magnificent species.

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