Denver Zoo Announces 'Tensing' The Rhino Is Pregnant
DENVER (CBS4) - The Denver Zoo is expecting another bundle of joy! The zoo hosted visitors at their pachyderm exhibit on Sunday morning for the announcement.
The zoo says Tensing, their 11-year-old greater one-horned rhino, is pregnant. She is one of two one-horned rhinos. Bandhu is a 10-year-old male.
Tensing is due in spring of 2020. Zoo officials tell CBS4 this is the first rhino pregnancy in 27 years.
"The fact that we were able to successfully after the 12th attempt to actually get this to occur is a really big actual breakthrough in reproductive technology," said Christine Bobko, a rhino keeper at the zoo.
The gestation period for a greater one-horned rhino is between 15 and 16 months.
"This was a multi-year process that involved countless hours of care and training, and the cooperation of partner zoos, including Cincinnati Zoo and Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium," said Brian Aucone, Senior Vice President for Animal Sciences.
Greater one-horned rhinos can be found in India and Nepal. They're considered vulnerable in the wild.
They also have one male black rhino, 26-year-old Rudy. Black rhinos are critically endangered and are found in eastern Africa.
LINK: Denver Zoo's Rhinos
