ATLANTA — It's a girl! Zoo Atlanta revealed Tuesday that the southern white rhino calf born on Christmas Eve is female.
The baby is the first southern white rhino calf born at Zoo Atlanta. She is now a month old and between 250 and 300 pounds; according to zoo personnel, the baby rhino is still behind the scenes with her 22-year-old mother, Kiazi.
"Kiazi is being very protective of her offspring and is displaying all the maternal behaviors the teams hoped to see," a release from Zoo Atlanta stated.
Thanks to a $1 million gift from Atlanta-based Delta Airlines, the new rhino will enjoy new updates to the complex.
"The gift supported significant updates to the habitat in late 2023, including the addition of some 2,000 to 2,500 square feet of habitat space; a rain and heat shelter; and some 1,500 new square feet of guest visiting space," the zoo said.
Zoo Atlanta added that the southern white rhinos are the largest of the species. Despite their name, they are not actually white; their name is believed to come from an Afrikaans word that means wide for their shape.
“Even though our Members and guests can not yet see the calf on a regular basis, we are so excited about future opportunities to share this little one’s growth and milestones with friends near and far – particularly in such a beautifully renovated habitat that has been redesigned with southern white rhinos in mind,” said Raymond B. King, President and CEO of Delta Airlines.
The calf is the first offspring of male Mumbles, who the zoo said has not met his daughter yet.