Rare black rhinoceros calf born in the Zoo

A rare black Rhinoceros calf, known to be an endangered species, was born in the Dehiwela zoo this morning, a Zoological Garden official said.

He said its parents were brought to Sri Lanka in 2007 under the animal exchange programme with the Japanese Ueno Zoo. Two Sri Lankan elephants were sent to the Ueno Zoo in exchange for the two Rhinoceros.

“A rhinoceros calf was born on an earlier occasion but it was not lucky enough to survive. Only some 2000 Rhinoceros are known to survive in the world,” he said.

The species of black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) are considered in the data deficient category of the IUCN Red Data List. (Chaturanga Pradeep)