ZooTampa at Lowry Park announced the birth of Kelele. The female Southern White Rhino calf arrived last Sunday. She weighed somewhere between 80 and 100 pounds at birth, and small tufts of white hair sit around her ears — a feature no other rhino at the zoo possesses.
Kidogo, the 22-year-old mother, delivered Kelele as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan. Zoo staff paired her with Mufasa, a male rhino. This marks Mufasa’s second child but his first daughter.
The calf appears strong. She nurses alongside her mother, according to zoo officials. Kidogo brings experience to her maternal role, which helps the newborn adjust to life at the Tampa facility, according to That’s So Tampa.
Neither parent has the white ear tufts that make Kelele different. The trait makes her the first among the zoo’s rhino population to show this characteristic.
The birth comes as ZooTampa operates a new expansion called Florida Waters. The project focuses on the Straz Family Manatee Rescue, which gives guests an underwater-style view into the zoo’s manatee rescue work.
Florida Waters includes a mangrove walk-through tunnel. Jellies float through a dedicated aquatic display. Naturalistic aquariums inspired by Florida’s freshwater springs round out the new area.
The expansion features some of the planet’s largest animals with a local focus, showcasing creatures of significant size found in the region much like the rhino habitat does.
ZooTampa is running spring break specials that provide extra access to visitors. The zoo houses the rhino habitat alongside the newly opened Florida Waters area. Guests get multiple viewing opportunities.
More information about visiting hours and ticket prices is available at zootampa.org.