Zoo Miami welcomes first rare Indian rhino born by artificial insemination

MIAMI, Fla. -- Zoo Miami is celebrating the historic birth of a rare greater one-horned rhinoceros.

The newborn is the first successful birth of the species as the result of induced ovulation and artificial insemination, zoo officials said.



The rhino was born at 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Its gender is unknown.

It is the first baby for 7-year-old Akuti, who was born at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in January of 2012.

Staffers said they plan to separate the infant to tell its gender and do a full exam only after it has a chance to bond with its mother.

"It is critical that the mother and newborn are able to establish a bond which can sometimes be a challenge for first-time mothers," staffers said.

The pair will be kept out of the public eye for a few weeks; however, rhino lovers can check on the baby's progress on Facebook.

There are less than 3,000 Indian rhinos left in the wild.

The newborn is only the second successful birth of the rare species in the zoo's history.

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