Lincoln Park Zoo announces pregnancy of endangered black rhinoceros Kapuki
The Lincoln Park Zoo announced on Monday that the female eastern black rhinoceros named Kapuki is pregnant.
The news of her pregnancy coincides with World Rhino Day.
The 20-year-old rhino is expected to give birth to the calf by early spring of next year.
It will be Kapuki's third birth at the Zoo, and her first with 21-year-old male Utenzi, the zoo said.
Kapuki's pregnancy was confirmed through hormone analysis using noninvasive collection of fecal samples.
Curator Cassy Kutilek said every birth matters when it comes to the endangered species, and the zoo is proud to be a part of the growing population.
"Kapuki is an experienced mother successfully raising King and Romeo and we're looking forward to seeing her in this maternal role again soon," she said.
The gestation period for eastern black rhinoceroses is typically 16 months, and females only give birth to one calf at a time.