Extract from ABC News
A baby rhino rejected by its mother at birth has been embraced by local residents and businesses. (Supplied: Altina Wildlife Park)
In short:
A southern white rhino was recently born at the Altina Wildlife Park in western Riverina, but was abandoned by its mother at birth.
The community stepped up to help pay for the bags of specialised and expensive milk that CK needs to survive.
What's next?
The southern white rhino is a near-threatened species, and CK will be an important addition to breeding efforts across Australasia.
CK the baby rhino loves nothing more than to splash in puddles, scratch up against his roller toy and play with his best friend Willow, an Asian water buffalo.
CK shares a pen with Willow the Asian water buffalo. (Contributed: Altina Wildlife Park)
But this 93-kilogram southern white rhinoceros, born on January 7 at the Altina Wildlife Park in southern New South Wales, had a tough start to life.
His mum Tatu rejected him after a complicated birth.
"I think the trauma of having baby at her feet, wanting to drink from her — she's never done that before — and having all these after-birth complications, I think she just went, 'Nup, it's just a little bit too much,'" the park's animal and operations manager Rebecca Surian said.
Rebecca Surian is passionate about wildlife conservation. (Supplied: Rebecca Surian)
It was a sad but not uncommon situation, similar to the one that confronted viral video sensation "Punch" the monkey recently.
In this instance, giving birth to a 65-kilogram calf was just too much for a first-time mum.
CK has to be raised in a separate pen after his mother Tatu abandoned him. (Contributed: Altina Wildlife Park)
"She had a retained placenta, and she did split a little bit giving birth to the big boy … so it was a bit of a shock for poor mum," Ms Surian said.
CK will form part of the Southern White Rhino Breeding program at Altina Park, which is part of an Australasian conservation program.
But with no other white rhino females able to help provide milk, the cost of feeding and raising CK has meant the team has had to rely partly on community donations.
"To begin with, he was drinking on average 8 to 10 litres a day," Ms Surian said.
"By the time he turned one month old, he had doubled that.
"When he is 200 kilos, which could only be in a couple of months' time, he could be drinking 40 litres of milk a day."
CK is two months old and is already 105 kilograms. (Contributed: Altina Wildlife Park)
The community was keen to help, with several residents and local businesses providing enough money to cover three months' worth of milk, at a cost of more than $200 a week.
"It's amazing to see that the locals love him as much as we do," Ms Surian said.
The bigger conservation picture
CK is the first baby rhino to be born for the Southern White Rhino Program at Altina Wildlife Park in Darlington Point. (Supplied: Altina Wildlife Park)
The southern white rhino is classified as a near-threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
After a boom in the early 1900s, the species became a target for poachers between 2012 and 2021, which saw their numbers drop from more than 21,000 to an estimated 15,942, according to the International Rhino Foundation.
Ms Surian said CK's birth marked an important addition to rhino conservation efforts and breeding programs throughout Australasia.
"Tatu has never produced calves here in Australia — being from Germany, her genetics have never been represented in the country," she said.
"The fact that she's got a young little boy means that he would be compatible to breed with numerous other females in the country because he's not related to them.
"Even his father, Kai, from what I understand, only has one living relative left in the country as well."
CK's father Kei (front) and mother Tatu (back). (Supplied: Altina Wildlife Park)
It can take up to six or seven years for rhinos like CK to become ready to breed.
"He's very cute and worth it — we owe it to him and rhinos in Australasia and the world, so fingers crossed that this continues going as smoothly as it has been."
CK will be an important addition to the rhino conservation efforts and breeding program throughout Australasia. (Supplied: Altina Wildlife Park)
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