Folly Farm zoo welcomes endangered male rhino calf

A zoo has welcomed the arrival of the first rhinoceros born in Wales.

First-time mother Dakima gave birth to the healthy male eastern black rhinoceros calf at Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire earlier this month.

The newborn is one of only an estimated 40 of the critically endangered species born in the UK in the past 20 years.

Dakima arrived at the zoo in May 2017 as part of a breeding programme and mated with nine-year-old Nkosi. Her pregnancy lasted 15 months.

Folly Farm's curator, Tim Morphew, said Dakima is "being very protective of the baby which is great because it shows they have a strong bond".

"This is the most important baby ever to be born at Folly Farm and is such a monumental event for all the staff here," he added.

"Not only is this calf helping to increase numbers of a critically endangered species, he's also the first rhino ever to be born in Wales."

Mr Morphew continued: "Most animals give birth at night under the cover of darkness and Dakima was no exception."

He said the keeper found a baby rhinoceros waiting for her on 16 January, and the zoo then checked the CCTV to find out the time of the birth and exactly how it happened.

"For us, the next steps are just to keep an eye on Dakima and make sure the baby stays healthy and gets everything he needs from mum," Mr Morphew said.

"Our goal is always to interfere as little as possible and let nature take its course."

He said Nkosi would be "a bit of an absent father" but that is "perfectly normal" for a male rhinoceros.

There is a possibility the calf could one day be released into the wild to help population numbers, Mr Morphew said.

The zoo plans to hold a naming competition for the rhino.