Record breaking Christmas at Whipsnade

Next time you visit Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, make sure you pay a visit to the Rhino House to see the Park's latest arrival - a white rhino calf.

The youngster has charged into the record books for being the 50th white rhino calf to be born at the Park.

The female rhino calf was born on 10th December and is the second to be born within the sound of jingle bells. A male calf, born on 22nd November, is the 49th to be born at the Park.

The 50th young arrival is yet to be named; she is the second calf to be born to 11-year-old Mkumi and is blissfully unaware of why she has attracted so much attention. Although she is very wobbly on her legs, she is busy exploring the indoor quarters with mum at her side.

The new arrival is the 50th white rhino calf at Whipsnade in just 30 years. Mkumi is a great mum and she and her calf are both in good health. Soon they will be out in the 25-acre paddock which they will share with Whipsnade's herd of 13 white rhino, a group of water buck and roan antelope. For the time being, Mkumi and her calf will be kept in their inside quarters to ensure their good health.

Whipsnade has contributed greatly to the conservation of this species by breeding 50 white rhinos since 1970. In the early 1900s there were less than 100 white rhinos in the wild, now, with the aid of a worldwide conservation project there are more than 11,000.

Whipsnade Wild Animal Park holds the best white rhino breeding record in the Europe and worldwide is only surpassed by San Diego Zoo.