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Come see Baby Conrad – ANOTHER white rhino calf that'll make you think you're seeing double!
Conservation milestone offers an exceptionally rare chance to meet two baby rhinos through the Ranch's Rhino VIP Experience
Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch has welcomed its fourth southern white rhinoceros calf in three years and its second in less than seven weeks. The male calf was born October 26 to Helga and Kutu, just after his half-sister, Twuda. At birth, he weighed approximately 150 pounds and measured 26 inches tall and 30 inches long. His arrival adds to a string of breeding successes for an animal that reproduces slowly and faces serious threats in the wild.
The Ranch worked for more than 20 years before welcoming its first southern white rhino calf in 2023. Four births in three years build on that breakthrough and reflect the sustained commitment of its animal-care team. In traditional zoological settings, only about 8.6% to 10% of adult female southern white rhinos give birth each year, compared with nearly 40% in some studied wild populations. Yet even those higher birth rates cannot protect wild rhinos from poaching, making successful breeding under human care an important part of safeguarding the species’ future.
Southern white rhino pregnancies last approximately 16 months, and mothers typically give birth to a single calf every two to three years in optimal herd situations. Each successful birth adds to the population under human care and creates opportunities for conservation education and research.
The need for conservation remains urgent. The International Rhino Foundation's 2026 State of the Rhino report records an estimated 15,752 white rhinos in 2024, down from 17,464 in 2023. Poaching remains the greatest threat to white rhinos in the wild.
Through the Ranch's Rhino VIP Experience, visitors have an exceptionally rare opportunity to get up close with two baby rhinos together, meeting and interacting with both calves as well as the rest of the herd. The newest calf's mother even seems ready to show off her baby when VIP guests arrive. As the calves grow, the animal-care team looks forward to watching them become playmates as they are starting to frolic together.
"Every calf represents years of patient work and a commitment to the future of these animals," said Tiffany Soechting, Animal Specialist at Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch. "The Rhino VIP Experience lets guests make a personal connection with that work. And now, seeing two rhino calves together is amazingly rewarding. And now giving visitors the chance to meet both of them up close is an exceptionally rare opportunity. Meeting these two baby rhinos can turn a conversation about conservation into something they will remember for the rest of their lives. With having the opportunity with our first two babies, we now realize how extremely fast these little ones will grow.”
The Rhino VIP Experience combines a private guided safari across the 500-acre Ranch with a close encounter with its rhinos. Guides introduce guests to the animals and explain the challenges facing their wild relatives. The approximately two-hour experience is open to guests ages 3 and older.
Young rhinos can gain about 100 pounds a month during their first year. Adult white rhinos commonly weigh 4,000 to 5,000 pounds. Visitors who want to meet the Ranch's young rhinos during this early stage should plan their experience soon.
