NAIROBI, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- A black rhino has given birth to her first calf at the Loisaba Conservancy in northern Kenya, a wildlife agency said on Tuesday.

The Kenya World Service (KWS) said the eight-year-old black rhino named Kibou, originally from Ol Pejeta Conservancy, gave birth on Oct. 16 at the Loisaba.

"Both mother and calf are doing well, though Kibou has been fiercely protective, making it challenging to get close enough for high-quality photos," the KWS said in a statement issued in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

This marks the first black rhino birth at Loisaba since the species' translocation earlier this year, bringing the reserve's black rhino population to 22, the KWS said. The black rhino is classified as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

The KWS said Kibou's calf was affectionately named Valentine in honor of Loisaba's "Welcome Home Rhinos" event held on Feb. 14.

"This birth not only symbolizes hope for black rhinos in Kenya but also reinforces the importance of connected, protected habitats that support sustainable rhino populations," the KWS said.

Both the KWS and Loisaba Conservancy expressed their commitment to ensuring that black rhinos like Valentine have safe spaces to thrive.

KWS Director-General Erustus Kanga said Kenya's renewed efforts in creating wildlife corridors and conservancies reflect a shift toward more inclusive conservation, ensuring that local communities who coexist with wildlife are integral to the process.

Kanga said the first rhino birth at Loisaba since the translocation earlier this year reaffirmed the importance of expanding and connecting protected habitats.

"By prioritizing wildlife recovery and habitat restoration, the KWS aims to establish thriving wildlife populations, particularly for endangered species, so they may endure for future generations," he added.

Kenya's black rhino population has grown from 400 individuals in 1989 to over 1,000 today, making it the third-largest rhino population in Africa, after South Africa and Namibia, according to KWS. Enditem

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