INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Zoo is expecting the arrival of their first ever rhinoceros calf in February.
On Tuesday, the zoo announced 19-year-old white rhinoceros Zenzele is expecting.
Zenzele came to the Indianapolis Zoo in June 2023 from The Wilds in Cumberland, Ohio. She has previously had six calves.
Rhinoceros pregnancies last around 16 months. The calf’s father is Kengele, a male white rhino who currently lives at The Wilds.
“The number of white rhinoceroses in the wild continue to decline, and it is crucial to raise awareness for their plight,” said Dr. Robert Shumaker, Indianapolis Zoo President and CEO. “The historic birth of this calf will be a symbol of hope for the conservation of rhinoceroses around the world.”
Zenzele’s calf will bring the Zoo’s herd of rhinoceroses to five. The calf and Zenzele are joined by male Spike and females Mambo and Gloria — who is Zenzele's grandmother.
The Zoo team is optimistic with the outlook of the rest of Zenzele's pregnancy.
In the wild, rhinoceros populations are threatened by habitat loss and poaching. Four of the five remaining species of rhinoceroses are at risk of extinction, according to the International Rhino Foundation.
To learn more about the Indianapolis Zoo's white rhino exhibit, visit here.
