Oh baby! Jozi the rhino, Rose-Tu the elephant both expecting at Oregon Zoo
PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) - The Oregon Zoo announced some exciting news Tuesday: Jozi the rhino and Rose-Tu the Asian elephant are both expecting!
Jozi’s baby is expected to arrive sometime between now and early January. Her and her companion, King, belong to the eastern subspecies of black rhinoceros, which is considered critically endangered.
“These two rhinos — soon to be three, we hope — represent a species that’s among the most endangered on the planet,” Gomez said. “Poaching and the illegal wildlife trade have wiped out 96% of the world’s black rhino population. In South Africa alone, we’re losing almost a rhino a day. Hopefully, their story can help inspire a new chapter in the conservation of this incredible species.”
The zoo says it is believed Rose-Tu, who has been spending a lot of time with 25-year-old male elephant Samson, will give birth in early 2025.
This will be the first baby for Jozi, while Rose-Tu is pregnant with what would be her third calf.
“We’re hoping for the best,” Lefave said. “We have an excellent animal-care team, and they’ll be doing everything they can to help each of these moms have a successful birth.”
The zoo says care staff are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the two “extra-large additions” to the zoo family.
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