Lovelorn mother's little miracle

Moesha's calf is the the sixth rhino to be born in New Zealand. Photo / Alan Gibson

A love-starved white rhinoceros Hamilton Zoo staff once thought would never conceive has given birth to a "miracle" calf.

The delivery was particularly special for staff who had long thought 15-year-old Moesha would never have a family.

"It is a bit of a miracle, actually," said the zoo's team leader of mammals, Samantha Kudeweh.

"These rhinoceroses are fertile at about 6 to 7 years of age and we were quite concerned about her because she had shut down her reproductive cycle."

Moesha's calf, who weighed 60kg when born on April 30 after a 16-month pregnancy, is the fourth born at Hamilton Zoo.

He was happy yesterday to playfully trundle under the watchful eye of his mother, curiously wandering up to photographers before coyly running away or rolling around blissfully in the clumps of hay .

He has a small mound where his distinctive horns should start growing in the next few months.

Now about the size of a large dog, the baby rhinoceros will eventually weigh about 2000kg.

Ms Kudeweh said Moesha mated with Auckland Zoo's Kruger, who made the trip to the Waikato two years ago.