[Animals] 'Neville', San Diego Zoo Safari Park's first male white rhino born in 2022

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The San Diego Zoo welcomes Neville, the first male white rhino to be born in captivity on site.
Recently, the San Diego Zoo celebrated the birth of a healthy male white rhino. They called him 'Neville', the first male specimen born this year in the institution's facilities. We spoke to Cynthia Steiner, the zoo's Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology, and this is what she had to say about welcoming the new calf.

After decades of being involved in the conservation of endangered species, Dr. Steiner is aware of the critical situation white rhinos find themselves in. Particularly in North Africa, where only two individuals remain—both females. In fact, as he shares with us in an exclusive interview for National Geographic in Spanish, this is "the most endangered subspecies or po[CENSORED]tion of all existing rhinos."

With the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA), however, a large team of specialists is fighting to preserve the white rhino in captivity. With 14 years of experience in the institution, Steiner is "using genetic tools to [...] design strategies for the management of species and their conservation," explains the specialist. Neville is the best example that her work is paying off.

After long years of efforts

For Neville to be born at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park — 50 minutes north of the city — the efforts of the San Diego Zoo have come a long way. In 2015, Dr. Steiner tells us, 6 female white rhinoceroses were transferred from South Africa to the “Nikita Kahn Rhino Rescue Center” in San Diego. The intention was, explains the specialist, "to increase the genetic diversity of the species in North America." Thus, these specimens could eventually become mothers.

During this time, SDZWA reproductive biologists have worked together with the females to implement assisted reproduction methods, as described by Steiner. After performing artificial insemination, they have been closely followed up with hormone treatment, which regulates ovulation in females.

Neville, therefore, is the successful product of these years of conservation efforts:

“NEVILLE'S BIRTH IS A SUCCESS ACHIEVED THANKS TO THE DEDICATION AND EFFORT OF THE SDZWA TO RESCUE THE NORTHERN RHINOCEROS,” EXPLAINS DR. STEINER.

However, this is not the first young calf to be born at the San Diego Zoo. On the contrary, the institution has an 'extensive history', as the specialist describes it, in the reproduction of rhinos. It is estimated that more than 100 white rhino calves have given birth at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

A success for assisted reproduction

Like other rhinoceros specimens, Neville was born through assisted reproduction methods. It is not the only recent case: on the contrary, in 2018, the zoo celebrated the birth of "Edward" with the same procedure. In November of that year, they were excited by the arrival of 'Future', a healthy female.

For the San Diego Zoo team, Neville's birth is a major milestone in terms of white rhino conservation. Not only does it show that assisted reproduction methods are successful, but it also sheds a ray of hope for the species globally:

“THIS BIRTH IS VERY IMPORTANT AS IT REPRESENTS REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS FOR LIVIA, NEVILLE'S MOTHER, IN ADDITION TO VICTORIA AND AMANI, AS FUTURE FEMALES WHO MAY EVENTUALLY SERVE AS MOTHER CARRIERS FOR NORTHERN WHITE RHINOCEROS EMBRYOs,” CONCLUDES STEINER.

Going forward, Neville will be part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) white rhino captive po[CENSORED]tion. The main objective is to maintain (and grow) the genetic diversity of the species and thus be able to recover after long years of pressure from illegal hunting and urban expansion.

https://www.ngenespanol.com/animales/nace-neville-el-primer-rinoceronte-blanco-macho-del-san-diego-zoo-en-2022/