After an incredible effort from both the zoo staff and mother rhino, the Denver Zoo celebrates the birth of its very first baby rhino.

For all the rhino lovers out there, the long wait has finally come to an end.

On Saturday morning, the Denver Zoo proudly introduced its first-ever baby rhino. Both the mother, 13-year-old Tensing, and her newborn calf are healthy and thriving.

Brian Aucone, Senior Vice President for Animal Sciences at the Denver Zoological Foundation, expressed in a news release, 'This calf’s birth marks an extraordinary achievement by our animal care, health, and science teams, along with our zoo partners. It's a significant milestone for reproductive science in both wildlife and managed care.'

For the next six to eight weeks, Tensing, the one-horned rhino, and her calf will stay out of the public eye in the Toyota Elephant Passage while they bond privately.

The wait is finally over

The zoo confirmed that Tensing’s pregnancy was first detected in December 2018 after four years and 11 attempts. Rhinos typically carry their calves for 15 to 16 months.

Dr. Anneke Moresco, the zoo’s Reproductive Specialist, along with Dr. Monica Stoops, now the lead reproduction scientist at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, had performed 11 unsuccessful artificial insemination procedures on Tensing from 2014 to 2018. When they tried a 12th procedure, they were thrilled to learn that Tensing was pregnant just days later.

Lindsey Kirkman, Assistant Pachyderm Curator at the zoo, shared in a news release, 'Tensing’s transition from pregnancy to motherhood highlights the dedicated care our team provides, allowing our animals to actively participate in their own medical treatment.'

'Achieving this required immense patience and dedication, as we worked tirelessly to help Tensing become comfortable with the artificial insemination and ultrasound procedures that ultimately resulted in a healthy mother and calf,' she added.

According to the zoo, there are currently 83 greater one-horned rhinos, including the newborn, residing in North American facilities.

For sport, hunters hunted down many of the planet’s one-horned rhinos, leading to a significant decline in their population.

Currently, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature has classified the species as 'Vulnerable,' citing a range of threats in their native habitats of northeastern India and southern Nepal.