Joy at second rare rhino arrival

Zimba is the second white rhino calf to be born at the centre in three months

Experts have established that the second rare white rhino born at a Cumbrian wildlife park in three months is a male.

Seven-year-old mother Tala gave birth at South Lakes Wild Animal Park in Dalton-in-Furness on Thursday afternoon, 16 weeks after her due date.

In June the park's other female rhino, Ntombi, gave birth to a calf which has since been named Nyala.

The latest arrival is to be named Zimba after the park's first male rhino.

There are few breeding pairs of white rhinos in Europe, with only two births reported last year. It is estimated that there are only about 11,500 of the animals left in the wild.

The one-hour birth was watched on TV monitors by eager staff and by hundreds of viewers to a webcam set up in the rhino enclosure.

Park director David Gill said: "This is one of the most important births in the history of the park.

"Very few establishments breed white rhinos, we are being told there were only two births within Europe last year, which makes it even more amazing to think we have been successful twice at our first attempt."

Tala arrived in the park from a private breeding reserve in South Africa in 2003.

The park is now home to six white rhinos.

The new calf will be able to be viewed by visitors from Saturday and will eventually be sent to another breeding centre.