Fresno Chaffee Zoo has an exciting new addition to the herd. Southern white rhinoceros, Kayla, gave birth to a female calf on Friday, November 28th. Kayla and her calf, Eloise, spent their first few weeks together resting and bonding behind the scenes, closely monitored by the Zoo’s Animal Care and Veterinary teams.
On December 15th, Eloise made her debut in African Adventure right beside her mom. While she stayed close to mom on her first outing, that didn’t stop her from some excited grass stomps and curiously watching the animals around her.
Eloise’s personality has already begun to develop with her Animal Care Team. Behind the scenes, she is inquisitive about the Zoological Care Specialists who interact with her and has gained the confidence to approach them. On the savanna she has a spirited, bold nature that displays her bravery. She has already attempted to spar with Kayla and mimic her mom’s eating behaviors, though she’s still too young to eat hay for now. Like most babies, Eloise alternates between high-energy runs and lying next to mom for a nap.
Kayla is an experienced mother and has had great success at the Zoo. This is the fifth rhino calf born to Kayla and male southern white rhino, Tim, at Fresno Chaffee Zoo. Each calf has been a unique experience with a different personality. It is exciting to watch how each one interacts with their parents along with the other savanna species. While always close to her young calves, guests may notice some different behaviors from Kayla, who has been slightly more protective of Eloise than past calves.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, southern white rhinos are considered “near threatened” in their natural habitat. Like all animals at Fresno Chaffee Zoo, Kayla is exercising choice and control on when she wants to go out on habitat with Eloise, so lucky visitors might get to see the pair during their visits in the coming months. You can continue to receive updates on mom and baby from the Zoo’s social media channels.
