rhino birth » Monarto Zoo

14-04-2007

When I went to Chester zoo on a members trip we got to stroke the female Rhino rosie. They feel really wierd.

20-04-2007

Rosie was handraised at London. Interesting you were able to touch her, I thought that despite being handraised she was exceptionally nervous. When the inside rhino house was open to the public (which I'm not sure it is any more?) her area was completely screened with boarding like a stockade, as if to prevent people frightening her? Mind you, all black rhinos can be a bit 'jumpy' and are quite nervous.

'Rosie' certainly seems to have some sort of problem which means she hasn't bred at Chester. Do you know why?

21-04-2007

She has been tamed now. She painted a picture to raise awareness for rhinos. They put paint on her lip and she smudged it onto the paper.

02-05-2007

Yes, that's a new trend in zoos, getting elephants and rhinos and suchlike to daub paint around- maybe they sell the outcome too? Its a good way of raising awareness and funds etc. However, I'd like to see 'Rosie' contributing more directly by breeding too- her parents are not well represented in the population- though I know there is some problem which means that she hasn't done so far.

03-05-2007

painting is a good way to raise some cash, mogo souldhollies first pic (shes a chimp) for over a grand, not a lot but all helps!

05-10-2007

Rare white rhino born at SA zoo - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

05-10-2007

is a male calf good news for the australian herd?

05-10-2007

No, even in Australia too many male calves. But as it is Monarto just starting at least encouraging that more than 1 birth have been achieved.

Who is the mother to the calf?

05-10-2007

gee you were quick with this news, don't you sleep?

05-10-2007

well if this male birth re-affirms it, we really do urgently need a bachelor holding facility, unless zoos can mamange there own.

monarto has plenty of space, so i was thinking can a male go out on savannah

or at dubbo, they keep a male i beleive in there rhino facilities at back of savannah

and werribee could also do its masterplan of having rhino on the top of the hill.

but still, if males as they are becoming a problem, wouldnt it be in the best interest to say support with funds say mogo, so they can upgrade and build afcilities to hosue rhino?

06-10-2007

but to put it in perspective, i think something like four out of the last 5 calves bred at WPZ have been female, all born to wild bred cows

06-10-2007

glyn,

They are (2.3):
F Azizi (born 16/3/2003 - mother Umqali)
F Amira (born 16/1/2005 - mother Intombi) handreared
F Inyeti (born 26/1/2005 - mother Aluka)
M Jabari (born 2006 - mother Intombi)
M Kei (born 2/2006 - mother Umqali)

06-10-2007

i think dubbo has the best structured group, they actually have 2 herds! this is based on when calves leave there mothers after weaning, they often join with other mothers and calves. dubbo replicates this

also dont know whether this is relevant, the only boys born were sired from same male, and the first 2 dubbo impregnated cows were female, do u think there could be link with some bulls having a higher y count?

06-10-2007

No,

I read some tentative research that puts the high number of male births on elevated glucose levels in females (somehow impeding female foetus). It has been known to occur in recently translocated rhinos in the wild. They seem to have a increased likelihood of male biased birth. The researchers claim that a female in good condition is predestined for male calves and a female in average or poor condition is predestined for female births. This all on the basis that males are more likely to sire more offspring, whereas in not so healthy females the guarantee that female calves will go on to breed is greater than in males.

But I think there are just to many unknowns on this to draw these conclusions from elevated glucose levels alone (could be diet induced).

I do believe the Dubbo set up more replicates natural rhino behavior than some other rhino holders. Having the captive-bred young females associating with unrelated breeding cow and calf (might this be the way forward to stimulate breeding in F1 females?). Also separating the bulls from the females and letting them join the breeding females alternately .. to eventually mate (the territoriality in the wild has females with calves move through multiple territorial males' habitat). Another factor, I feel, is the age component.

Adult females may breed from age 5-6, however adult bulls will need to acquire some authority and need to be far more experienced in age (more the 15-20 bracket). The latter is, I think, also a factor in whether rhinos do or do not breed. Finally, to confuse things further it has been demonstrated - at least in captivity - that females may exhibit non-cyclicity while otherwise fully developped adult (may be stress-induced, is also seen in newly imported stock where bulls and females have been kept together from first introduction - the infamous sibling platonic affair behavior (a natural inbreeding inhibitor).

Anyhow, feel free to ask .. it is my area of expertise!

06-10-2007

a keeper at dubbo also explained a similar thing to me

they are now changing the diet of the blacks, to a more natural rougage to reduce sugar content, as they have found a high sugar diet has been the cause of most males produced. so now the sweet potato, furit and carrots etc have been limited mainly as training treats