Fewer than 20,000 left in the wild
GULF BREEZE, Fla. (AP) — A Southern white rhino has been born at a zoo in north Florida.
The 100-pound Katana entered the world on Jan. 20, though the Gulf Breeze Zoo only recently announced her birth. The Northwest Florida Daily News reported Tuesday that Katana was born to Katie after a 16-month pregnancy. According to a zoo press release, wild rhinos are facing one of the worst poaching streaks in history, with fewer than 20,000 Southern white rhinos left in the wild.
Katie met Katana’s father Robbie in 2013 when he was introduced to the zoo from a breeding sanctuary in Florida. The zoo says Katana is healthy and gaining about 10 pounds per day. Newborn calves weigh between 80 to 140 pounds while fully grown females weigh around 3,000 to 4,000 pounds.
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Information from: Northwest Florida Daily News (Fort Walton Beach, Fla.), http://www.nwfdailynews.com
