ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KGTV) — The newest southern white rhino calf at the San Diego Zoo Safari park is beginning to explore its full habitat, less than one month after its birth. “I mean, it never gets old, right? Every time we see a baby rhino born, it’s the most exciting thing ever," said Wildlife Care Specialist Marco Zeno.
The baby was delivered by first-time mother Livia, who could play a critical role in the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance's ambitious project to save the southern white rhino's close genetic cousin, the northern white rhino from extinction. “It’s kind of like a dream job. I can’t imagine something that has the finger on the pulse of conservation more than this project right now," Zeno said.
There are only two northern white rhinos still alive, both living under 24-hour armed guard at a preserve in Kenya. They are a mother and daugther who are not capable of conceiving, which means the species will go extinct unless the extraordinary and high-tech project succeeds.
“Our ultimate goal is to have a self-sustaining herd of northern white rhinos that can be reintroduced into their native habitat," said Dr. Barbara Durrant, one of the lead scientists working on the project.
The idea is to create genetically pure northern white rhino embroyos in the lab, using sperm and egg specimens carefully preserved in the Frozen Zoo, located at the Safari Park. Those embryos would then be transferred into female southern white rhinos via in vitro fertilization. The southern white rhinos would deliver the northern white calf and raise it as a surrogate mother. The complicated project would also include cloning technology to duplicate the cells needed to create the embryos and ensure enough can be created to enable the birth of a full herd or northern white rhinos.
While continuing to develop the technology to pull of the project, Dr. Durrant and her team are working with adult female southern white rhinos at the Safari Park, studying them constantly to learn everything they can about the gestation, delivery, and parenting of rhinos. Livia had previously shown an instinct for mothering with other calves born at the Safari Park and is thought to be a prime candidate to ultimately be one of the surrogate mothers. In Zeno's opinion, she's been the best mother in the herd. “She’s such a good mom. She pays so close attention to him. She’s so patient with him. She models good behavior for him.”
The baby rhino, which is yet to be named, is now beginning to explore the part of its habitat that can be viewed by the public as part of the Africa Tram tour. The best time to catch a glimpse is in the morning, right after the park opens.
