TAMPA, Fla. -- There's a cute new baby in town, and it could weigh up to 5,000 pounds when it's fully grown.
ZooTampa celebrated the birth of a southern white rhino calf on Sept. 12 to mother Alake. The baby marks the sixth successful southern white rhino birth and ninth rhino in the zoo's history.
"ZooTampa is deeply committed to the species' continued survival, both at home and beyond," Chris Massaro, general curator, said. "Every birth brings hope to the continued conservation of this incredible species."
After bonding with mom, the calf will be introduced to the rest of the herd.
Most southern white rhinos live in four countries in Africa: Kenya, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Their bodies are characterized with a pronounced hump and two horns at the end of their muzzle, which is used for defense.
Record numbers of rhinos have been killed by poachers in recent decades because of the high demand for keratin, a protein in the horn that is believed to have medicinal properties. The northern white rhino, a relative of the southern species, has been considered extinct in the wild. There are only two left in professional care.
ZooTampa participated in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Rhino Taxon Advisory Group, which includes the rhino's Species Survival Plan. ZooTampa has contributed $100,000 over the past 20 years to rhino conservation projects like anti-poaching and habitat repair in Africa.
Want to see the new baby rhino? You can get a peek at the calf on the zoo's safari tram ride, which is included with daily admission.
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