New baby rhino for French zoo

A baby rhino born in Normandy is set to make its debut appearance when doors open at the Cerza Zoo near Lisieux.

Proud parents Winona and Albrecht are the only pair of breeding Indian rhinos in France, and the birth of female Ranga is a rarity in Europe, where only two or three are born every year.

"It's our second rhino birth at the park," said head keeper Frédéric Houssaye, “so we're thrilled.”

Rhinos live alone rather than in herds, so keepers had to keep a close eye on Winona, their breeding female. "Rhinos are only fertile and ready to mate for 36 hours, so we were watching closely for signs that she was ready. It's one of the problems of breeding rhinos; it's difficult to know when to put them together."

The latest arrival was conceived 18 months ago, and born in January, with the keepers watching both events via webcam so as not to disturb or unduly stress the mother. "Obviously we would have intervened if there had been a problem, but everything was fine, and our new arrival is doing well and feeding every hour," Mr Houssaye said.

Named after a rhino protection project in India, little Ranga can be seen by visitors in the rhino house when the zoo reopens on Friday, February 1.

Mr Houssaye said it was “heated to 13/14 degrees and has large windows so visitors can watch the animals without disturbing them, but we're keeping them inside until the weather gets better. Ranga will stay with her mother for the next two and a half years, and then she will join the European breeding programme, like her older brother who is now living in Poland."

For opening hours, more about Ranga, and information about training to be a zoo keeper, see www.cerza.com