Magical Baby Born Among Animals on Christmas Eve, Many Visitors Expected
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On Christmas Eve, the world was blessed with the birth of a tiny baby, on whose small wrinkled shoulders rests the fate of an entire species.
The New York Times reports that the baby is a male rare black rhino, born at Potter Park Zoo in Lansing, Michigan. The baby’s mother is Doppsee, a 12-year-old black rhino. Potter Park Zoo claims his father his another black rhino named Phineus, but we know the truth.
The baby, the first of its kind born at the zoo in a century, is doing well, per a press release (there’s also a very cute Instagram video, should you care to watch):
“As this is Doppsee’s first pregnancy, the animal care and veterinary staff will continue to monitor Doppsee and her calf closely in the next few weeks. But so far, the rhino calf appears healthy and we have observed frequent nursing shortly after the birth, which is encouraging,” said Potter Park Zoo veterinarian, Dr. Ronan Eustace.
Black rhinos are critically endangered, with only about 5,000 in existence in the African wild, according to the Washington Post, and only 50 in the care of accredited zoos. This makes the new baby rhino, in addition to being very cute, a big deal—perhaps even a miracle? O, night divine! O come, let us adore him! Born a babe on Lansing’s plain! What child is this, who laid to rest, on Doppsee’s lap sleeping?
Take it from here, Mariah.