Whipsnade Zoo welcome super rare baby rhino

The calf is estimated to weigh less than 50kg

A baby southern white rhino, estimated to weigh less than 50kg, arrived this month at Whipsnade Zoo.

Born to parents Fahari and Sizzle, the male calf joins his seven-month old half-brother Benja - who was born in March.

Despite being a little smaller than some of the calves born previously at Whipsnade, the rhino is healthy and settling in well.

His birth is super important to the European breeding program, as it is estimated there are just 17,500 southern white rhinos left in the wild.

Mum Fahari and the new baby calf

In the wild, the southern white rhino are under threat by illegal hunting.

They are hunted, by poachers, for their horns which are used for making traditional medicine in some countries in Asia - and ornamental handles for swords.

There is no scientific evidence that the horn works as a medicine.

ZSL, the international conservation charity behind Whipsnade, say they are working with organisations worldwide to try to stop this illegal trade.

They do this with things such as anti-poaching patrols, training and technology.

The baby is settling in well

For keepers at the zoo it was a special moment when the baby was born.

Rhino keeper Alex Simpson said:

"You can hear him making little noises, almost like whale song, when he wants milk - and we’ve even seen him stomp his comically large feet a few times when he is impatient for food.”

Super rare and super cute!