Horn to be wild: Welcome to the world little Zimba

Last updated 12:44, Friday, 12 September 2008

SAFE ARRIVAL: Zimba the white rhino calf with his mum Tala JON GRANGER REF: 0449526

STAFF at South Lakes Wild Animal Park are celebrating their second rare rhino birth.

Mother Tala gave birth to a white rhino calf at 3pm yesterday.

The calf, a boy, has been named Zimba, in memory of the park’s first male white rhino Zimba, who escaped from the zoo in 1997 and had to be put down.

Zoo owner David Gill was in Cheshire when Tala gave birth, but was watching the birth using a web cam.

“I could not be at the birth but I watched it all and then came straight back up to the park,” said Mr Gill. “Everything was absolutely
fantastic though, the birth went really well.”

Staff have been waiting with bated breath for the arrival of the calf since 2007, when Tala’s pregnancy was confirmed. A rhino’s gestation period is 15 to 16 months.

Zimba is the second rhino ever to be born in Cumbria. The first calf, Nyala, was born to mother Ntombi at the zoo in June.

Mr Gill said: “Very few establishments breed white rhinos, we are being told there were only two births within Europe last year which makes it even more amazing to think we have been successful twice at our first attempt.”

Mr Gill said that the birth was particularly unique because Zimba’s father, Mazungu, was bred in captivity.

“For us it is amazing because it is a second generation birth. Rhinos who were bred in captivity do not tend to breed, so it is very special,” Mr Gill said.

Despite being just a day old, Zimba seems to have settled in to life at the zoo with ease.

“Zimba has settled in much faster than Nyala. This time everything seems to have been much more gentle and quicker.” Mr Gill said.

Visitors will have the opportunity to see Zimba in the rhino enclosure from tomorrow morning.