CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Something big is expected in May at Lincoln Park Zoo.
The zoo announced Thursday that their 13-year-old female eastern black rhinoceros, Kapuki, is pregnant and is expected to give birth in May. The pregnancy is a big deal to the zoo, as eastern black rhinoceroses are a critically endangered species.
“The potential of a successful calf means much more than a cute face at the zoo. A birth represents preservation of a critically endangered species that faces a lot of challenges,” said Curator of Mammals Mike Murray, in a statement. “We remain cautiously optimistic that Kapuki, as an experienced dam, will know just what to do.”
According to the zoo, the pregnancy is a result of a recommended breeding program from the Eastern Black Rhinoceros Species Survival Plan. After scientific analysis, it was recommended that the zoo’s female rhino, Kapuki, breed with 33-year-old male rhino, Maku.