Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

An Ultra-Rare Adorable Baby Rhino Was Just Born At The Miami Zoo

An Ultra-Rare Adorable Baby Rhino Was Just Born At The Miami Zoo
@CBSMiami/Twitter

On Tuesday, Zoo Miami made history by celebrating two major milestones.

Not only did the Florida facility welcome the birth of a greater one-horned Indian rhinoceros at 12:30 a.m., it was the first birth in recorded history done through induced ovulation and artificial insemination.


They said it was also only the second successful birth of this rare species, and this newborn is quite the looker.

Ron Magil, the zoo spokesman told the Miami Herald that the gender has not yet been determined.

The zoo enlisted a special team of animal reproductive specialists from the South East Zoo Alliance for Reproduction and Conservation (SEZARC) since natural breeding wasn't working.

The team collected semen from father, Suru, on on Jan. 8, 2018, and artificially inseminated the mother, Akuti, the next day.


Magil detailed the complex process that entailed safety precautions to protect the veterinarians carrying out the task.

"With the artificial insemination, we had to first collect the semen from the male. Once that was done, we had to immobilize the female so that there would be no danger to the veterinarians who then carefully used an instrument that is inserted vaginally and placed up against the cervix where the semen is then deposited."

The right timing was essential.

"The challenge is that it has to be timed precisely to her ovulation which was also induced. As it turned out, our timing was perfect."

After confirmation that Akuti conceived, she was trained to have regular ultrasound examinations to enable officials to keep track of the developing fetus.

Akuti is under 24-hour observation and the newborn is healthy and doing well, surprising zookeepers already with its ability to stand on its own within a few hours after birth.

Meanwhile, Twitter is fawning over the little one.




More tests will be conducted once the baby is separated from "its very protective mother," according to zoo officials.

"It is critical that the mother and newborn are able to establish a bond which can sometimes be a challenge for first-time mothers."
"This very rare birth is not only significant for Zoo Miami, it is incredibly important to the international efforts to maintain a healthy population under human care of this highly vulnerable species throughout the world."






Zoo officials said there are less than 3,000 Indian rhinos left in the wild, and their numbers are decreasing as a result of poaching – their horns are used for medicine and as dagger handles.

When grown to its adult size, the second biggest of the rhino species can weigh between 4,000 to 6,000 pounds.

The name of the infant will be determined as part of a fundraising effort for the zoo.

Welcome to our world, little one.

More from News

Country Singer Gavin Adcock went on a drunken rant over Beyonce's "Cowboy Carter" success.
Danielle Del Valle/Getty Images; Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Country singer rants over Beyoncé album

Country singer Gavin Adcock became the title of his next album, “Own Worst Enemy,” after going on an unhinged rant about the legitimacy of Beyoncé's Grammy-winning and record-breaking Cowboy Carter in the country music genre.

Adcock, whose upcoming album is set for release next month, was filmed during a live performance last weekend, complaining that Beyoncé and her album are not “country music.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Dionne Warwick; Tiny Chef
Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images; @ToonHive/X

Dionne Warwick Is Ready To Go To War With Nickelodeon Over 'Tiny Chef' Cancellation

You know your campaign against a show's cancellation is achieving widespread attention when you get people like venerated singer Dionne Warwick advocating for you.

Nickelodeon's The Tiny Chef Show was recently cancelled, much to the dismay of its viewers and creators. It was also a genuinely surprising decision, since the show has won an Emmy.

Keep ReadingShow less
Woman relaxing in sunhat and sunglasses
Photo by Jordan Bauer on Unsplash

People Explain Which 'Small Luxuries' They Can't Live Without

Many of us have committed to being fairly financially frugal and not overspending on silly, unnecessary things.

That is to say, sometimes, it's fun to splurge on something one time to see what it's like to experience that small luxury.

Keep ReadingShow less
two women in emotional distress seated on couch
Ben White on Unsplash

People Who've Experienced Grief Share The Most Tone-Deaf Things They've Heard

Grief, loss, trauma are all part of life. But for most people, the emotions and reactions that go with them are difficult to witness.

So they rely on platitudes to fill any holes in conversation. That's rarely a good idea.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Mehmet Eser/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Demands 'Boss Of AT&T' Fix Equipment After Failed Conference Call In Bizarre Meltdown

When most of us have technical difficulties, we contact tech support or customer service.

But if you're President of the United States, just ranting on social media—then having your White House Press Secretary post a screenshot of your post on a social media platform people actually use—is apparently the answer.

Keep ReadingShow less