After an 18-month pregnancy the female rhinoceros gives birth to only one young. It weighs about 30 to 40 kilograms and only 10 minutes after it appears it can already stand upright, a couple of hours later it begins to suck. It sucks from its mother during 18 months, but it also begins to graze long before it stops sucking. The young has no horn, it is unprotected and depends entirely on its mother. The mother protects the young carefully from each predator. From time to time the young stays with its mother even after the birth of the second young, although at the age of three years the young rhinoceros is already able to take care of itself alone. (www.worldstory.net)
While I am very glad that Rhino's birth was not typical of a real rhinoceros, there are many other facts about this calf that are similar to my own...
With your first baby- 9 months feels like 18; I had no idea what to expect or what I was supposed to do with all of the changes. Luckily Rhino came a little bit early so I didn't have too much time to get nervous. Waking up to a Saturday in labor led Mr. Zookeeper and I to the store to pick up an outfit so the little guy would have something to wear home! Once we got moving the delivery went quick, quicker than it takes for an epidural to kick in as a matter of fact. After declaring that I would never, ever be able to do this again- there he was. My perfect boy.
He had to be rushed off for some testing so I didn't see the first few feedings but I bet it didn't take him much longer than a few hours to have a full meal- standing upright- not so much... in fact I am proud to share that he took his first steps 2 weeks before his first birthday- right down the middle of Main Street, Disneyland. (proud mommy moment)
True to his kind, Rhino depended on me for everything. I wasn't the best leader but we were all each other had as we tried to figure out what kind of life he was trying to live. While Dad has always been his favorite (and still is) we have shared many tender moments. A mother loves all of her children, but there are certain lessons she learns from the first child that she tries to teach to the others. It has been my job to protect this innocent little boy from all of the predators out there. At age three we got a diagnosis of autism and he started school 2 days later. I was prepared to attend school with him that day only to be dismissed at the first bell. What was a mom to do- here was my baby out in the wild- I needed to protect him. I did what I always do when I'm nervous- I go buy meat. $50.00 worth later, I was waiting at the window just in case the phone rang or the bus came early- I didn't want to take any chances. Three hours later the bus drove up- right on time. He was smiling and the note home was everything a mom could have hoped for.
While he was ready to move on, he still needed me. He still does. I do for him now what I did for him at birth, we just argue about it more, make compromises and there's no diapers involved. Sons always need their moms- it just changes over the years. I try to be the grown up here, but he has so much more to teach me than I can teach him- so we learn together. This afternoon we're going to go hunt for fossils- he wants to be a paleontologist someday and when the time comes I'll be right there digging with him... or at least cheering him on from the sidelines.
Rhino has grown so much; nine years old but he is still my perfect boy. It's a different relationship we have, him and I but it's a perfect one for us. He is a complete joy to everyone he meets and a special blessing that I spend every day being grateful for.
Today is your day Rhino- Happy Birthday!
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