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7 July
2003
Rudy, a black rhinoceros born at Wichita’s
Sedgwick County Zoo in 1993, and currently residing at Kansas City
Zoo,
fathered
his second calf. Kansas City Zoo officials recently announced the
pregnancy of Luyisa, a wild-born eastern black rhinoceros, due to
give birth in February.
Rudy, short for the Swahili name Ruwdesia,
was himself a miracle birth. His mother, Bibi, an older female
rhino, had given birth to
healthy offspring twice in her earlier years, but by the age of 31,
she had spontaneously aborted her last three pregnancies.
In the
early 1990’s Dr. Nan Schaffer, President and Founder
of SOS Rhino, was invited to Sedgwick County Zoo to assess Bibi’s
reproductive status. Now it was Dr. Schaffer’s challenge to
help Bibi carry to full term and deliver a healthy calf.
Over the
next year, the zoo’s vet, Dr. Bill Bryant, carefully
observed and responded to Bibi’s health needs, including bad
teeth, an abscessed toe, occasional vaginal infection, and ulcerated
skin sores. All of her symptoms were treated as necessary, and in
addition, the doctors started supplementing her diet with oral progesterone.
Through this intensive management, she finally maintained her pregnancy.
On August 16, 1993, Bibi delivered a male calf in excellent health.
Dr. Schaffer takes pride in her part of the work. “I have
helped to bring Rudy into the world, now he soon will be a father
for the
second time”.
Please visit our web site at www.sosrhino.org,
for more information on our programs and efforts to preserve
the five rhino species
in their natural habitats.
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