Rani with her newborn at the rhino enclosure in Patna zoo. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, Nov. 22: A newborn at Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park has not only given his parents a reason to cheer about, but also the zoo authorities.

Rhinoceroses Rani and Ayodhya, the latter brought from the Delhi zoo in 2003, became the proud parents of a male calf yesterday morning. The zoo authorities have a smile on their faces, as they have received the new bloodline of rhinos that would boost the number of the animal at the zoo.

Zoo director Abhay Kumar told The Telegraph: “Rani gave birth to a healthy male rhino calf on Monday morning. This is the first calf of Ayodhya (20 years old) at Patna zoo. This is the first time we conducted the mating of Ayodhya and we are happy it was successful. Now, we have four different bloodlines of rhinos that has opened up options of breeding and mating among them.”

The zoo received its first rhinos — Kancha and Kanchi — from Guwahati zoo, Assam, in 1979. Raju, a male rhino rescued from the forests in West Champaran, joined in 1982. The first rhino calf — Hartali — was born to Raju and Kanchi in 1988. Rani was born of the same pair in 1991. Kancha and Kanchi’s first calf — Raja — was born in 1993. Kancha and Hartali have increased the zoo’s rhino population by six.

On the favourable breeding of rhinos, Abhay said: “The zoo has the distinction to conduct successful breeding of rhinos. The hot and humid climate, complemented with the availability of mud and water body in the rhino enclosure, has proved to be highly favourable. Now, we have 12 rhinos in the zoo, the maximum in the country and Asia.”

He added: “Rhinos, a Schedule I animal under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, are significant from the exchange point of view. Recently, we exchanged a pair of rhinos for five big cats with Hyderabad zoo,” added Abhay.

The favourable condition has also made authorities consider contributing to the wildlife at Valmiki Tiger Reserve if migration of rhinoceroses from Chitwan National Park, Nepal, turns out to be a consistent trend at the reserve in the next few years.

Till then, Patna zoo authorities have made arrangements for the rising rhino population. “We have extended the rear portion of the existing enclosure to increase the space housing the rhinos. We have also formulated a proposal for a rhino conservation area, aimed at ensuring a congenial environment for the animals. We hope to start work on it soon,” added Abhay.