LPWire: Disney's Animal Kingdom Welcome a Baby White Rhino

Kayla is a baby white rhinoceros born March 3, 2005 at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Disney's Animal Kingdom's White Rhino Family Welcomes a New Baby

The Walt Disney World animal care team has been excited as Kendi, a first-time mom, welcomed her new baby daughter, Kayla, to Disney's Animal Kingdom family in February. At her first weigh-in on March 10, Kayla weighed 143 pounds; and as of today she weighs 233 pounds, gaining on average 3½ pounds every day. Kendi is the first of four white rhinos born at Disney's Animal Kingdom and is nearly six years old.

There are seven southern white rhinos in the herd at Disney's Animal Kingdom -- four males and three females of various ages. A rhino birth is a notable event -- in the past two years there have been 21 births in North American zoos. At one time white rhinos were nearly extinct, numbering less than 100 animals. They were protected and managed well and even now there are only approximately 11,000 worldwide, with 171 in North American zoos. Many of the older animals in the population have not bred and it is critical to the long-term survival of the North American population for this species to continue to reproduce. The gestation period is 16 months and normally results in a single birth.

Look for Kendi and Kayla to join the other rhinos on the savannah at Disney's Animal Kingdom soon.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park is accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). With its more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats. For more information visit www.aza.org.

--Posted April 12, 2005
Source: Walt Disney World
Images: Copyright Disney