Akuti, a 6-year-old greater one horned rhinoceros, is pregnant at Zoo Miami. The rhino was artificially inseminated on January 9.
If Akuti is successful in reaching the full term of the pregnancy, it will mark the first time in the U.S. that a greater Indian one horned rhinoceros will have given birth to a calf that was conceived via artificial insemination.
The pregnancy was confirmed on March 24 through a rectal ultrasound.
"Since then, the fetus has been growing normally and now everything from distinct ribs and a backbone to a strong beating heart can be seen," said Zoo Miami spokesman Ron Magill.
Akuti, whose name means "princess" in Hindu, was born 2012 at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. She has been at Zoo Miami since 2015 and this is her first pregnancy
The baby's father is Suru, a 17-year-old rhino that was also born in San Diego. Suru has been at the Miami zoo since 2003.
Suru is apparently quite virile.
"Suru's sperm was also used to successfully inseminate a female at the Buffalo Zoo that is also now expecting," Magill said.
He also has two previous offspring at Zoo Miami.
The southwest Miami-Dade zooligical park has had a total of four baby greater one horned rhinos born _ all females.
