Rare black rhino calf born at Australian zoo

A rare black rhino calf, a critically endangered species, was born in an Australian zoo late last month.

The calf was born February 24 at the Taronga Western Plains Zoo in the New South Wales town of Dubbo, zoo officials said.

Zoo director Steve Hinks said this is the fourth calf for its mother Bakhita in six years.

Hinks said the birth was globally significant as there were only a few thousand black rhinos left in the wild.

"Every birth for this critically endangered species is so important with fewer than 6,000 remaining in the wild. So whilst this is incredible news for Taronga Western Plains Zoo, this is also incredibly important news for the species as a whole," Hinks said.

The calf and its mother were being kept behind the scenes at the zoo to enable them to bond.