August 24, 2016, Updated August 28, 2016

The Zoological Center of Tel Aviv-Ramat Gan is celebrating the addition of a new baby white rhino to its growing 28-strong rhinoceros herd.

Tanda, a 23-year-old mare, gave birth to the healthy, baby boy this week. It’s her fourth rare white rhino calf since arriving at the Israeli zoo 13 years ago.

The new calf is called Tupak, which means ‘warrior.’

Israeli zookeepers at the Safari say that days before she gave birth, Tanda’s teats began to swell and fill up and she drove away her two-year-old daughter, Teshi.

The Safari zookeepers separated Tanda from the rest of the herd in an open area “maternity ward.”

Rare white rhino calf born at Zoological Center of Tel Aviv-Ramat Gan, August 2016. Photo by Shai Ben Naftali
Rare white rhino calf born at Zoological Center of Tel Aviv-Ramat Gan, August 2016. Photo by Shai Ben Naftali

Tanda and her newborn will spend about a week in isolation before returning to join the rest of the herd in the Safari’s African area.

In the meantime, the new white rhino calf is getting used to his mom’s custom-made adaptation of an equestrian fly mask that she dons on a permanent basis to harness her chronic eye infection.

https://youtu.be/HYuDmQCIMQ8

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