White rhino born in Nairobi National Park

Southern white rhino and her calf. [Courtesy]

Kenya’s tourism could get a boost after a Southern White Rhino calf was born in Nairobi National Park.

On Saturday, Kenya Wildlife Service confirmed the birth of the white rhino calf, stating that the mother went hiding only to resurface with the three-day-old baby rhino.

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK: We are thrilled to report the birth of a white rhino in Nairobi National Park.The lucky mother rhino had gone into hiding from hawk-eyed rangers only for her to resurface today with a three-day-old calf. Welcome to the family baby rhino. #DiscoverKWSParks pic.twitter.com/Fve2nFerQB — KWS (@kwskenya) February 15, 2020

This comes at a time when Kenya lost Sudan, the last male Northern White Rhino, who died on March 18, 2018 at Ol Pejeta Conservancy aged 45. Currently only two females of the northern white rhino species are known to exist in the same conservancy.

However, the Southern white rhinos are quite a number.

About 98.5 per cent of southern white rhino are alive in just five countries (South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Uganda).

The southern white rhino was nearly extinct with just less than 20 individuals in a single South African reserve in early 20th century.

The southern white rhino is said to have the most complex social structure of all rhino subspecies and prefer open grass plains, making them easier to spot on safari.

It is the largest extant species of rhinoceros. It has a wide mouth used for grazing and is the most social of all rhino species. White rhinos are not actually white, but grey.

The wide mouth is an adaptation that helps them graze on grass, as opposed to the black rhino’s pointed mouth, which is adapted for browsing on leaves, shoots and branches.