RHINO BABY 1ST FOR HUNGARY ZOO

[Anonymous]

Rhino baby first for Hungary zoo
The
world’s first rhinoceros conceived by artificial insemination has been
born, Budapest Zoo has announced.The female baby rhino was born late on
Tuesday and weighed some 128lbs (58kg) after a pregnancy lasting 16
months and 15 days.Vets decided to inseminate the 26-year-old mother,
Lula, in 2005, when she failed to conceive naturally.The baby rhino,
who has yet to be named, was described as “full of life” by zoo
officials.”The little one seemed active, An hour after being born it
stood up on its own legs,” a statement said.

‘Suckling problems’
The
zoo said that although Lulu had been introduced to a male rhino called
Easyboy, the two had not shown any sexual interest in each other,
prompting the decision to attempt artificial insemination.”The two have
developed a friendship, more of a relationship between siblings,” the
zoo said.The mother has so far failed to nurse the baby and shown some
aggression which vets say can be normal in an inexperienced mother.She
is being fed by zoo workers until the mother is ready to feed her.

[Author]

February 8, 2007 at 11:09 AM