Rihanna, a 15-year-old southern white rhinoceros, gave birth to a small male calf weighing approximately 50 kilograms (110 lbs) over the weekend at the Ramat Gan Safari. According to the safari, this is the 34th rhino calf born at the facility.
The proud father is believed to be Tupac, an 8-year-old male recently relocated from Ramat Gan to the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem in a complex operation. However, it’s also possible the father is Atari, a 44-year-old elder who previously fathered Rami with Rihanna in 2017. Incidentally, Tupac is also Atari's son, but from a different mother.
Rihanna and her new calf
(Video: Shira Ibar Danin)
Rihanna was brought to the safari in late 2012 from the National Zoological Gardens in Pretoria, South Africa, in a special transport operation that cost approximately NIS 100,000 ($28,000). Visitors contributed about NIS 15,000 ($4,200) to the effort and a rhino conservation campaign at the safari included the sale of T-shirts featuring a rhino emblem.
Rihanna is considered a unique rhino, having once briefly escaped from the safari grounds with two other female rhinos.
In March, the caretakers suspected Rihanna was pregnant when her udders began to swell, followed by noticeable changes in her belly size. Despite adult rhinos weighing over 1.5 metric tons (3,300 lbs), the skilled staff in the zoo's Savannah department are adept at detecting subtle physical changes.
Last weekend, Rihanna exhibited pre-birth behaviors, distancing herself from the group and moving to a secluded area. She repeatedly stood up and lay down, appearing restless and uncomfortable. After an 18-month pregnancy, Rihanna began labor. On Friday evening, the caretakers left her space to give birth undisturbed.
By 5:45 a.m. on Saturday, Rihanna was lying in a hidden spot, protecting her newborn calf. Soon after, the calf was seen walking beside her and nursing. "Our tradition is to name the calf with a name starting with the same letter as the mother's. While we usually have plenty of great options, this time, we found it challenging to choose,” the safari said.
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“Given the current times, we felt we couldn’t ignore what’s happening in the country, so we chose the name Re’i (my brethren), which holds significant meaning for us from the beginning of the war in Gaza until today."
Over time, Re’i’s horn will grow. The horn is made of keratin, the same protein that forms human hair and nails, though the keratin fibers are densely packed in rhinos, giving the horn its strength.
Until then, Rihanna, an experienced and devoted mother, will protect and guide Re’i, teaching him essential survival skills, just as mothers do. This is Rihanna’s fourth calf. Her first, Rami, was sent to a zoo in Zurich, followed by Rainy and Ruby, the latter of whom passed away a year and a half ago.
The rhinos at the safari are part of a European breeding program for southern white rhinos. Currently, the program includes over 400 rhinos housed in 110 zoos. The white rhino remains endangered, with a conservation status classified as NT — "near threatened."