Keepers at Taronga Western Plains Zoo are preparing for the pitter patter of little hooves, with the Southern Black Rhino conservation breeding program set to welcome not one but two new additions before the end of 2024.

The program is the largest of its kind outside of mainland Africa, producing 16 calves since commencing in the 1990s.

Keeper Hayley Brooks said that number is soon set to grow, with females Bakhita and Mesi due to give birth in July and August, respectively.

“This is a really exciting milestone for our Black Rhino program here in Dubbo,” Hayley said.

“Bakhita was the first female calf born here and has been an integral part of our breeding program. She’s a very experienced mother and this will be her fifth calf. Mesi is pregnant with her first calf and when she gives birth, it will make Bakhita a great-grandmother!

“It’s the first time we have had two calves due in such close succession, so we’re really excited and busy making preparations.”

The last time the Zoo welcomed two calves in the same year was in 2017, with female Mesi and male Pampoen arriving in April and October respectively.

Black Rhino gestation usually lasts 14-16 months. Dubbo's most recent new arrival, one-year-old male calf Matobo, was conceived using world first reproductive technology. He was born to mum Kufara in April last year after a record 490-day gestation period.

Once Bakhita and Mesi’s bundles of joy are born, the mums and bubs will spend a few months bonding behind the scenes before they make their public debut.

Like all remaining rhinoceros species, Black Rhinos continued to be poached for their keratin horn, used in traditional medicines, even though it is scientifically proven to have no benefit for humans.

“Our program acts as an insurance population for this critically endangered species,” Hayley said.

“In Dubbo, we’re the only place in all of Australasia that is breeding Black Rhinos, so every successful birth is crucial.”

Taronga Conservation Society Australia is a proud founding member of the International Rhino Foundation (IRF). Taronga actively supports conservation efforts for wild rhinos in Africa, Indonesia and India, providing funds and support with the IRF for anti-poaching and wildlife protection units, habitat protection and restoration, and expertise in veterinary care and reproduction to ensure all rhino species continue to survive in the wild.

Visitors to Taronga Western Plains Zoo can make a difference for critically endangered species like Black Rhinos by visiting the Zoo, staying overnight, or buying a gift or encounter.

“Taronga is not-for-profit, so every dollar you spend here at the Zoo has the power to protect wildlife,” Hayley said.

To learn more about Taronga Western Plains Zoo’s Black Rhino conservation breeding program, go to https://taronga.org.au/taronga-western-plains-zoo-dubbo/whats/rhino-ranger or come along to our free Black Rhino Keeper Talk at 9.25am daily.

Taronga Western Plains Zoo is open 8.30am-4pm daily, with tickets valid for two consecutive days. For more information about planning a visit to Taronga Western Plains Zoo, or to purchase tickets online, visit www.taronga.org.au/dubbo-zoo.