Meet Auckland Zoo's cutest addition: A 12-day-old rhino calf

A baby rhino is exploring her new home at Auckland Zoo.

Just 12 days old, the female southern white rhino calf who is yet to be named, is the first newborn rhino at Auckland Zoo in 20 years.

And despite a lengthy 16-month pregnancy for first-time mum Jamila, the newborn entered the world following a speedy one-hour labour.

Tommy Karlsson, the zoo's ungulates team leader, said the long wait to meet the Zoo's newest addition was "absolutely worth every second".

Karlsson and his team, who witnessed the "exciting and nerve-wracking" live birth via low light security cameras, said mum-to-be Jamila handled the birth brilliantly, with "a couple of really good pushes" to welcome the youngster to the world.

"Her calf was walking within 25 minutes and suckling well by the afternoon," he said.

He estimated the "sturdy" little rhino's birth weight to be around 65kg.

Auckland Zoo's newest addition is just 12 days old. Photo / Supplied

"Jamila's total focus on her calf's needs is really impressive; and it's such a joy to watch the calf," he said.

"She's growing by the day, and as she's finding her feet, doing these little jumps, almost dancing, which is pretty adorable."

Jamila and calf are spending their first days together comfortably in a warm indoor area with access to an adjoining outdoor space, he said.

To cater to the Zoo's smallest recent addition, the African Savannah rhino paddock has undergone a significant upgrade, with a large shelter added.

First-time mum Jamila handled the birth brilliantly, Auckland Zoo's ungulates team leader says. Photo / Supplied

"It's still early days, and Jamila and her calf are not yet out on the Savannah. We take Jamila's lead to do this at the pace she is comfortable with, and once she's ready, we can't wait for visitors to see Jamila's calf for themselves," Karlsson said.

Mum Jamila and 30-year-old dad Zambezi were matched in early 2019 on advice from the ZAA (Zoo and Aquarium Association of Australasia) managed breeding programme for this threatened African species.

Zambezi was relocated from Hamilton Zoo for the task, with Jamila confirmed pregnant last April using faecal hormone testing of Jamila's progesterone levels.

The 12-day-old calf is yet to be named. Photo / Supplied

Regional facilities Auckland CEO Chris Brooks said the birth was a rare and exciting privilege for those involved.

"Auckland Zoo supports the recovery of rhino populations in Zimbabwe and in Sumatra, and this newborn's arrival will help our team shine a bright light on the importance of conserving these wonderful animals in the wild."

Rhino fast facts

• Auckland Zoo has four southern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum); Jamila (8 years), her yet-to-be-named calf, male Zambezi (30 years) and Zambezi's son, Inkosi (18 years), as part of the ZAA breeding programme for this "Near Threatened" (IUCN Red List) species.

• Jamila's newborn calf is the first rhino birth at Auckland Zoo in 20 years; the last birth being female Kito in 2000 to Mazithi. Kito relocated to Hamilton Zoo in 2007.

• Calf milestones: a newborn rhino calf suckles regularly from its mother, needing 10-12 litres of milk per day in its first year, and grows particularly fast in its first 18
months. It remains dependent on its mother for the first 18 months to two years, by which age it gains more independence.

• Africa's "Near Threatened" southern white rhino is a conservation success story, having recovered from near extinction in the early 1900s with just 50–100 left in the wild, to 18,000 today. However, habitat loss, political unrest, and particularly poaching (for their horns) continue to be major threats.