Meet Our Baby Indian Rhino “Clover”

The Buffalo Zoo is proud to welcome its newest “wee little one”—an endangered baby Indian rhinoceros!

Come say hello to Clover. Now that the weather has improved, the newest baby at the Zoo is coming out to play. Her baby shower was Saturday, May 3rd. Along with some “shower” games for the kids and a limited amount of treats from Perry’s Ice Cream, Clover and her mom got to have some cake to celebrate getting outside to see the public If you would like to help the new baby with a shower gift, you can bring gift cards in any denomination from Tops, Wegmans, Lowe’s and Home Depot. Those cards will be used to purchase items to enhance Clover’s health and development.

Born shortly before 3:30 a.m. on March 1, 2008, the female calf weighed in at approximately 135 pounds. Buffalo Zoo animal keepers have named their newest addition “Clover” in honor of the St. Patrick’s Day holiday.

Clover’s mother, Tashi, is taking excellent care of her young one, who is the first rhinoceros to be born at the Buffalo Zoo since September 15, 2004. The breeding of Tashi and Henry, Clover’s father, was recommended as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is designed to help a species maintain a healthy and stable captive population. Tashi and Henry’s first offspring, Ashakiran, now resides at the Toronto Zoo.

Found in northern India and southern Nepal, the Indian rhinoceros is the largest of the Asian rhino species. Fewer than 200 of them were thought to exist in the wild during the early 20^th century, but due to strict protection from the Indian and Nepalese wildlife authorities, numbers have increased to approximately 2,500. However, as poaching still occurs, the species remains highly endangered.

Clover will be off exhibit until later this spring to ensure healthy development. When she makes her debut, she will be on exhibit every other day with her mom, Tashi. On alternating days, Henry will be in the exhibit. Tashi and Henry have been exhibited in the same half of the rhino yard on alternating days since late last summer. Henry was moved to Tashi’s outside space due to incompatibility with the axis deer with whom he previously shared the other half of the rhino exhibit.