Dublin Zoo has announced the birth of a new baby rhino.

The healthy male southern white rhinoceros calf was born in the early hours of the morning on Monday, February 10th.

Experienced mother Ashanti gave birth to the 50kg calf after carrying him for 16 months.

He is her seventh calf and will now join his siblings and father Chaka in the seven-strong herd in Dublin Zoo’s African Plains.

Visitors can catch see him with his mother at the Rhinoceros House in the zoo.

The new baby southern white rhinoceros calf with his mother Ashanti at Dublin Zoo.

African Plains team leader Helen Clarke-Bennet said: “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome another rhinoceros calf to Dublin Zoo.”

“These animals were on the verge of extinction in the 20th century.

“Ashanti is an excellent mother. She and the calf share a strong bond, and it has been wonderful to watch them play together.

“We’re looking forward to watching him integrate with the rest of the herd.”

The zoo currently takes part in a European breeding programme for southern white rhinos.

There are around 18,000 of the animals left in the wild, the majority of which are in South Africa Zimbabwe, Namibia and Kenya.