A NORTH Yorkshire attraction has announced the recent birth of a critically endangered Eastern black rhinoceros.

Flamingo Land, based in Malton, witnessed the birth of the yet unnamed baby boy at 5.25pm on Sunday October 24 to Mum Samira and Father Magadi.

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The pregnancy reportedly took 16 months, however, the final stages happened very quickly with zookeepers keeping watch via a network of cameras.

Sam DeBelle, head keeper at Flamingo Land, said: “We have waited so long for this baby, both mum and baby are doing incredibly well and I am so proud of Samira and all her keepers.

“Black rhinos first arrived at the zoo in 2015 in the newly built Selous Rhino Reserve.

“Samira transferred from Zurich Zoo as part of the European Ex-situ Programme (EEP) managed by EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) and Magadi followed in 2019 from Chester Zoo.”

Eastern black rhinos are currently listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

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There are estimated to be no more than 3,600 in the wild in Tanzania and Kenya and there are just 85 Eastern black rhinos in European Zoos.

Zoo Manager and Park Executive Ross Snipp said “This success represents 8 years of planning for the team and working collaboratively with our partners across Europe, all new births are exciting but there is added significance for this one, both for us and the global population.”

Gordon Gibb, owner of Flamingo Land, said: “This is the first time a black rhino has been born in Yorkshire and with only approximately 3000 black rhinos left in the  wild continues our vitally important conservation work at home and abroad.

“In 2019 we released our female Olmoti to Akagera National Park, Rwanda as part of the largest translocation of rhinos from Europe to Africa and we are also in the process of sending our.

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“Rhino Chanua to be released in Tanzania soon. Who knows one day this baby may follow in the footsteps of his big sisters.”

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