Lincoln Park Zoo welcomes new baby rhino

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Lincoln Park Zoo welcomed a new addition over the weekend! Their critically endangered Eastern Black Rhino Kapuki gave birth to a new baby calf.

The zoo announced in March the 13-year-old female rhino was expecting.

The unsexed, unnamed baby rhino was born Sunday, May 19 at the Regenstein African Journey exhibit.

Kapuki is about 13 months into her pregnancy, which typically lasts 15-16 months.

Animal Care and veterinary staff are currently monitoring the pair from remote cameras to give the mother and calf time to bond in privacy.

Only a few thousand Eastern Black Rhinos remain in the wild. The species has been designated as "critically-endangered" due to poaching for their horns, which are believed to have medicinal benefits despite being made of keratin, the same material that makes up human hair and nails, according to zoo officials.

The father is a 33-year-old male rhino named Maku. Kapuki and Maku had previously been successful in reproducing in 2013 with the birth of King, who now lives at Brookfield Zoo.

Zoo officials say the animals will not be visible to the public at this time.

You can continue to follow the baby rhino's milestones on the zoo's social media channels and #RhinoWatch.

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