Female Indian Rhino Calf Born at Buffalo Zoo Through Artificial Insemination

Officials at Buffalo Zoo welcomed the birth of a female Indian rhino calf born through artificial insemination.

Weighing 144 pounds, the rhino calf was born on June 5 at the Buffalo Zoo to mother Tashi. The sperm of Jimmy, a male rhino who died ten years ago at Ohio's Cincinnati Zoo, was used for insemination. 

The newborn rhino calf, Monica, is a major achievement for the endangered species around the world.

Fox19 reports that, Jimmy's sperm was stored in the Zoo's Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) CryoBioBank since 2004, when he died. The team at CREW assisted in monitoring and caring for Tashi during her entire 16 month gestation.

This is not the first calf for the 17-year-old Tashi. Prior to this, she conceived and gave birth naturally in the years 2004 and 2008.  But her mate at the zoo passed away and no other male Indian rhino has yet achieved sexual maturity at the zoo. It was extremely critical for the authorities to get Tashi pregnant again as long intervals between pregnancies can make female rhinos infertile. 

"We are excited to share the news of Tashi's calf with the world, as it demonstrates how collaboration and teamwork among AZA Zoos (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) are making fundamental contributions to rhino conservation," said Dr. Monica Stoops, Reproductive Physiologist at the Cincinnati Zoo's CREW. "It is deeply heartening to know that the Cincinnati Zoo's beloved male Indian rhino Jimmy will live on through this calf and we are proud that CREW's CryoBioBankTM continues to contribute to this endangered species survival."

In North America there are 59 Indian rhinos and just 2,500 survive in the wild and it is important  to maintain the genetic diversity that is needed to keep the population healthy and self-sustaining.