Rare white rhino born at Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens

Alan is the 4th white rhino to have been born in the park since it opened. Credit: Jackie Thomas

A rare white rhino calf, named Alan, has been born at Cotswold Wildlife Park.

The 'Curious Calf' is the fourth white rhino to have been born in the park since it opened in 1970.

The one-week-old weighed 11st and has been described by the park as "high-spirited and boisterous".His parents are Ruby and Monty and he is their second calf.

Alan is named after the park’s electrician, who is retiring this year after 23 years.

Rhino births in captivity are considered extremely rare. Credit: Jackie Thomas

Births in captivity are considered extremely rare, with only thirteen White Rhinos being born in European zoos in the last twelve months.

The White Rhino is considered to be living proof of conservation success.

They were once the rarest sub-specie of any Rhino and were on the verge of extinction in the early 1900s, with only around 50 animals believed to remain in the wild.

The biggest threat to rhinos is poaching. Credit: Jackie Thomas

Their biggest threat is poaching. This is partly due to the false belief that a Rhino horn can cure cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

It has resulted in a population slaughter of 1,054 Rhinos in South Africa alone in 2016.

Alan's first mud bath. Credit: Jackie Thomas
Alan is named after the park’s electrician, who is retiring after 23 years. Credit: Rory Carnegie

Three of the five Rhino species critically endangered are the the Black, Javan and Sumatran.

Visitors can see the new calf daily in the large rhino paddock and solar-powered Rhino House.

  • Watch Alan's first yawn below:

Visitors can see the new calf daily in the park's large rhino paddock. Credit: Jackie Thomas