A BLACK rhino calf has been born in the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve – the first offspring to appear after six of the animals were re-introduced into the area in 2007, over a century after being wiped out by hunting.

The regional manager of the reserve, Wayne Erlank, said he and his team were very excited. “It was born on June 30 but we have been keeping it under wraps because we wanted to give it and its mom a bit of space to relax.

“Then we were hit by a very cold snap and we were not sure if it would pull through.”

The calf seems fine now but rangers have still not been able to get close enough to sex it because its mother and another female are very protective.

Rhino females have a gestation period of 15 months so the calf must have been conceived about six months after the six adults were re-introduced.

“What that shows is that the animals that were brought in have adapt ed well.” Erlank said the arrival of the calf was also the result of hard work and careful conservation strategy. Four of the field rangers at Baviaanskloof west section have kept watch over the calf and have played an important role in creating a safe breeding environment for the rhinos.

While black rhino of the Bicornis minor sub-species are being successfully conserved in many parts of the country, there are less than 100 of the “desert-adapted” Diceros bicornis bicornis re-introduced into the kloof.

The re-introduction of the animals in 2007 was facilitated by SANParks and the authorities in Namibia, where the rhinos were captured. The move was hailed at the time as a major affirmation of the soundness of the Eastern Cape Parks Board’s policies and management, and a historic milestone for wildlife partnerships in the Southern African Development Community zone.

Announcing the news yesterday, EC Parks spokesman Lavinia Subboo said the arrival of the calf was “of huge significance” .

“With less than 3600 black rhinos left, the species is listed as highly endangered, and every addition to the population is invaluable. If it is a female calf it will contribute more significantly to the conservation of the species than a male.

“There are no plans to trans- locate any black rhino from the Baviaanskloof as the population is still small and has potential to expand.”