Mourning a baby rhinoceros in Australia: Last week, the east coast’s Werribee Open Range Zoo celebrated the birth of a rare southern white rhino — now the animal has died. The female, weighing 60 kilograms, was born last Tuesday. It was the zoo’s first rhino offspring in a decade.
Because mother Kipenzi had not developed a close bond with her daughter in the first few hours, the little rhinoceros was initially taken into the care of veterinarians.
Died of cardiac arrest
However, according to an autopsy, the little one was likely injured while interacting with her mother on the shoulder blade. As broadcaster 9News reported on Monday, citing the zoo, this likely led to a blood clot on Saturday and eventually cardiac arrest. Veterinarians failed to resuscitate the calf.
“Everything is done”
Zoo director Mark Pilgrim said staff were devastated. “The death of an animal is a challenge for everyone involved. But we can rest assured that we have done everything we can to give the calf the best possible care.”
The southern white rhino is classified as “near threatened”. “Intensive protection measures have allowed a population of more than 15,000 animals to develop again to date,” the WWF recently wrote. Of their cousins, the northern white rhinoceroses, only two females remain worldwide.
Endangered species
The animals are mainly threatened by poaching and the illegal trade in their horns. Especially in Asia, these are used in traditional medicine.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
