“America has shown that this can work,” Pottebaum said. While no one is considering releasing rhinos into the plains of the United States, their care and continued births in North America help to keep the global population from total decline. “We’ve actually brought back numerous species from extinction and it was because they were bred in captivity,” Pottebaum said.Īnimals such as the gray wolf, which are still considered extinct in most of the United States, were reintroduced into the wild and now have small, localized populations, a claim to what captive breeding and conservation programs can accomplish. Katana’s birth, along with breeding programs in other zoos and wildlife preserves all over the world, help fight to keep the population steady, to keep the rhinos from extinction. Pottebaum said an average of three to four rhinos are poached every day. I would say that happens in less than a decade.” It’s only a matter of time before that 20,000 is down to 500. What we can do with conservation is develop breeding programs –they are what is going to be the future for protecting a species. “Once you take away one of those niches, it will impact every species in that area. “Rhinos are a very large mammal, which means they fill a huge niche in the plains of Africa,” Pottebaum said. A higher demand for rhino horn starting in the mid 2000s has spurred another wave of poaching in the new century. Still, the rhino population has been decimated by more than 90 percent since the 1900s. The poaching of these rhinos is made even more tragic by the fact that when rhino horns are broken or cut off, they grow back within two to three years. However, some cultures believe specifically rhino horn has medicinal properties, something the scientific community has denied for many years. Rhinos are often killed by poachers for their horns, which are made of keratin, the same substance that human hair and nails are made. In March of this year, the last male Northern White Rhino died, leaving only two females left of the entire subspecies. While Southern White Rhinos are considered to be the most populous of the five rhino species, there are less than 20,000 left in the world.
While being a joyous occasion for the zoo, Katana’s birth also contributes to efforts to save the rhino.
So our goal is to simply replicate what the natural environment would be producing.” In the natural environment, this rhino female (Katie) would be with several other cows, having calves, rearing offspring, and they go off on their own sometimes, but they usually come together. “The more we can get a herd, the population actually seems more natural. “Our biggest focus is to create a herd,” he said. She is the first, but not the last, according to the zoo’s Director Jesse Pottebaum. But the waiting period was definitely a very long time.”īut early that morning, Leopard discovered the wait was over and little Katana stood as the first rhino to be born at Gulf Breeze Zoo. We just wanted to make sure (Katie) was healthy and doing well. It has been a long 16 months of waiting and anticipation.
20, Gulf Breeze Zoo Lead Keeper Adrianne Leopard checks on soon-to-be mother Katie, the Southern White Rhinoceros. We are a military housing website created by a military spouse for military families.Early in the morning Jan. We also provide reviews from military families about apartment complexes, and schools near military bases to help with your next PCS military move. helps military families understand more about what's around the military homes by providing honest reviews about off base neighborhoods, areas surrounding the military base, and on base military housing. We are a military housing website helping military families in the process of searching for military housing, military rental homes, and military homes.
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