We were over the moon when we heard a bouncing baby rhino had been born Werribee Open Range Zoo earlier this year, and couldn't wait to get to visit him and coo at his cuteness.
Now, we finally can! Baby Jabulani is ready for visitors, as he explores the open savannah with the rest of the zoo's animals. Born in the early hours of Sunday, August 18, the bub is the newest addition to the rhinoceros clan at the zoo. Jabulani is a southern white rhino, part of a near-threatened species, with only 10,080 estimated to be left in the wild. Plus, he's the first successfully mother-raised calf born in Victoria in more than 20 years. So not only is he adorable, he's truly special.
His parents are 11-year-old mother Kipenzi, who carried him for a 16-month pregnancy, and 15-year-old father Kifaru. The birth is a monumental milestone for breeding efforts across the Australasian region, as previously the zoo has had troubles with rhinos developing parenting bonds with their calves. This unfortunately led to a newborn rhino's tragic death last year.
But the great news is that this time, mum and bub are thriving and have formed a remarkable bond. Jabulani is healthy and happy, growing to weigh a whopping 200 kilograms, and loves doing zoomies and taking naps.
“Since birth, Jabulani has been building up his strength and developing bonds with his mother, Kipenzi, and his fellow rhino crash members in a keeper-only area. Just like rhino calves would experience in the wild, Jabulani has been nurtured closely by his mother to prepare him for this very moment,” says the zoo's life sciences manager Dominic Moss.
The baby boy's name, pronounced Jah-boo-lah-nee, was chosen after thousands of Zoos Victoria members and donors cast their vote in an online naming competition. Jabulani was the most popular choice, and it means ‘bringing joy’ and ‘rejoice’.
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