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Miracle rhino, Rudy, fathers second calf
7 July 2003
Rudy, a black rhinoceros born at Wichita’s
Sedgwick County Zoo in 1993, and currently residing at Kansas City
Zoo, fathered
his second calf. Kansas City Zoo officials recently announced the
pregnancy of Luyisa, a wild-born eastern black rhinoceros, due
to give birth in February.
Rudy, short for the Swahili name Ruwdesia, was himself a miracle
birth. His mother, Bibi, an older female rhino, had given birth
to healthy offspring twice in her earlier years, but by the age
of 31, she had spontaneously aborted her last three pregnancies.
In the early 1990’s Dr. Nan Schaffer, President and Founder
of SOS Rhino, was invited to Sedgwick County Zoo to assess Bibi’s
reproductive status. Now it was Dr. Schaffer’s challenge
to help Bibi carry to full term and deliver a healthy calf.
Over
the next year, the zoo’s vet, Dr. Bill Bryant, carefully
observed and responded to Bibi’s health needs, including
bad teeth, an abscessed toe, occasional vaginal infection, and
ulcerated skin sores. All of her symptoms were treated as necessary,
and in addition, the doctors started supplementing her diet with
oral progesterone. Through this intensive management, she finally
maintained her pregnancy.
On August 16, 1993, Bibi delivered a
male calf in excellent health. Dr. Schaffer takes pride in her
part of the work. “I have
helped to bring Rudy into the world, now he soon will be a father
for the second time”.
Please visit our web site at www.sosrhino.org,
for more information on our programs and efforts to preserve
the five rhino species
in their natural habitats. |
