Last August, an adorable Southern White Rhino calf was born at Werribee Open Range Zoo. This eight-week-old bundle of joy, Jabulani, has already grown from 55 kilograms to a whopping 200 kilograms. And now, after bonding with his 11-year-old mum Kipenzi, this sweet calf is now happily exploring the 30-hectare African-inspired habitat. See him roam about the savannah, among herds of giraffe, zebra, ostrich and antelope, at the zoo.
Southern White Rhino calf at Werribee Open Range Zoo
Before heading out to the savannah, Jabulani has been bonding with his mum and the other rhinos in a keeper-only area. As they settle into life with the rhino herd, Jabulani and Kipenzi will continue to be monitored by keepers. They will also continue to spend some time in private, so you might not always be able to see them.
“Visitors can expect to see Jabulani staying close by mum and eight tons of rhino family ‘bodyguards’,” said Werribee Open Range Zoo Life Sciences Manager Dominic Moss. “But as time goes by, he’ll venture out and explore more on his own. He’ll also be doing plenty of ‘zoomies’ and take lots of naps as would be expected with any new bub.”
Jabulani is a Zulu word that means ‘bringing joy’ or ‘rejoice’. He was named by Zoos Victoria Members and Donors in an online naming competition last month.
Southern White Rhinos are classified as Near Threatened, and it’s estimated that only 10,080 of them remain in the wild. Threats to the rhinos include poaching and habitat destruction and fragmentation. The birth of this calf was a major milestone for both the zoo, and for the Australasian breeding program. Jabulani is also the first successfully mother-raised calf born in Victoria in over 20 years.
His own mum, Kipenzi, had never seen or experienced successful mothering. Her mother, Sisi, was quite protective and always kept her in sight. However, this prevented suckling, so Kipenzi had to be hand-reared by keepers and vets in order to survive. In March last year, Kipenzi gave birth to her first calf. Tragically, in the initial hours after the birth, she leaned her two-tonne self onto the calf, resulting in fatal trauma.
“Vets and keepers closely monitored the birth of this second newborn and were prepared to provide support, if necessary,” said Werribee Open Range Zoo Director Dr Mark Pilgrim. “This time, Kipenzi has risen to the task and we are all so incredibly proud of her.”
Jabulani is now a confident and healthy calf, and you can see the Southern White Rhinos on the Safari Bus Tour, which is included in zoo entry. Werribee Open Range Zoo is open daily from 9am to 5pm.