A southern white rhinoceros calf was born at Pairi Daiza zoo on 10 December.
The calf, weighing just over 60 kilograms, is the third offspring of its mother, Madiba.
The sex of the newborn will be announced on Pairi Daiza’s YouTube channel on Tuesday. Visitors can vote for the calf’s name on the zoo’s Facebook page.
For now, Madiba and her newborn are staying indoors, close to Joby, the calf’s 24-year-old father.
“The calf is perfectly healthy and started nursing immediately. It currently weighs 60.5 kilograms, and Madiba is taking excellent care of it,” said zoo veterinarian Francesco Zinno.
Southern white rhinos remain critically endangered due to poaching driven by the illegal horn trade and habitat loss. Once on the brink of extinction, global conservation efforts have helped their population recover to approximately 18,000 individuals.
The newborn at Pairi Daiza will serve as an ambassador for its species, raising awareness about the importance of protecting rhinos in the wild.
