Colchester Zoo (UK) announced few days ago that one of its Southern White Rhino is expecting a calf for the end of December 2019! Emily is eight months pregnant and she was able to conceive few months after being reunited with the Zoo’s male rhino, Otto, that was sent to Woburn (UK) for a breeding loan. The pair had two calves previously, a daughter called Pembe in 2013 and the younger Kifaru, born in 2017.

About Otto, he was temporarely transferred to Woburn in late 2016 in order to stimulate the breeding between the resident Rhinos that since then was unsuccesfully. Unfortunately, things went badly: the zoo lost a young female, Mtubamtuba, that died unespectedly few months ago with no info spreaded by Zoo Officials and Otto was no succesfull with the two other females.

Colchester has another female Rhino, called Astrid. She has reached sexual maturity and it is very important for her to start breeding in the near future. We do hope that this could happen in the near future, even if rumors say that Otto seems not to be interested in her.

Kifaru, Otto and Emily’s last calf should be able to leave the Zoo in the next months, even if it is not known his future destination.