Cotswold Wildlife Park Welcome Baby Rhino

Cotswold Wildlife Park have announced the birth of a baby Rhino, the first in the Park's forty-three year history.

The as-yet-unnamed baby was born to first time parents, Nancy and Monty, in the early hours of Monday morning. 

According to Park officials Nancy is adjusting to parenthood well and baby and mother are both doing fine.

Cotswold Wildlife Park curator, Jamie Craig, commented: “It is very early days and Nancy is a first time mum. We all have our fingers crossed as calves can be very vulnerable for a while after birth.”

Having gone to great measures to bring 7 year old Monty and Nancy together back In 2009, it was hoped that one day they would successfully breed the Park's first ever Rhino calf.

Nancy along with another female called Ruby were flown the thousand kilometre journey from Mafunyane Game Farm in South Africa to the UK to join young male Monty at their new Oxfordshire home.

Females only reproduce every two-and-a-half to five years, so the window of opportunity for successful reproduction is limited. 

Unbelievably, these iconic animals were once the rarest subspecies of any Rhino and were on the verge of extinction in the early 1900s but thanks to excellent and sustained protection, they are now the most common of the five Rhino subspecies. 

Visitors can see the new calf daily from 10am to 6pm (last entry at 4.30pm) in the large paddock they share with a herd of Chapman’s Zebras overlooking the Manor House or in their solar powered Rhino House.