Baby rhino born at Australia Zoo

A baby rhino has been born at Queensland’s Australia Zoo -  the fourth calf born at the park in as many years.

Mum Caballe was in labour for two hours on Sunday before giving birth to the male calf around 6am at the zoo in Beerwah, which is owned by the family of the late Steve Irwin.

The normal gestation period for a rhino is 17 months.

Zookeeper Manu Ludden said the birth was another success in the zoo’s rhino breeding program.

“The calf weighs approximately 45kg and is doing extremely well. He’s big and strong and is already suckling very well,” she said in a statement.

“Caballe is an amazing mother – she’s very attentive and protective of her new baby boy.”

Rhinos are an endangered species, and very few are alive today outside of zoos, national parks and reserves, according to the World Wildlife Fund.