Special delivery

Christmas Eve 2019 brought a special gift to the world when a rare baby black rhino was born at 5:40 a.m. at Lansing’s Potter Park Zoo.

Doppsee, the calf’s mother, had been closely monitored during her 15-monthlong pregnancy by a dedicated team of animal scientists that included MSU veterinarians and students.

The baby calf — a boy named Jaali, pronounced “Jolly”— stood within the first few hours of being born and has since stayed close beside mom in the protected pen at the zoo.

Valued veterinary experience

Caregivers report that Doppsee, unlike most of her breed, has a docile and gentle disposition allowing zookeepers to work closely with her providing veterinarians and students an up-close learning experience during her pregnancy and birth.

“Collaborating with Potter Park Zoo is a wonderful educational experience, not only for our veterinarians, but also for our veterinary medical students,” says Julie Strachota, clinical instructor for MSU’s Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and resident for the Large Animal Theriogenology Service. “I never would have expected that I would be doing transrectal and transabdominal ultrasounds on a black rhino.”

The veterinarians and zookeepers monitored Doppsee and her fetus weekly, providing opportunities for MSU’s veterinary students to practice physical exams, blood draws and ultrasound skills. Most importantly, they ensured that she and her baby calf were kept safe, happy and healthy.

“Being able to get this hands-on experience is invaluable to me, as Doppsee is a species I am not able to work with often, so this experience continues to help me learn more about what it means to be a veterinarian,” says Bridget Walker, a third-year veterinary student.

Ronan Eustace, adjunct professor at MSU’s School of Veterinary Medicine and director of animal health at Potter Park Zoo, mentored veterinary students during summer sessions and oversaw the regular visits.

“Dr. Eustace always welcomes us to bring as many students as we can to work with the animals at Potter Park Zoo,” says Strachota. “During one of our ultrasound examinations, one of the senior students Doppsee commented that it was ‘the best day of veterinary school.’ What the zoo is doing for our veterinary curriculum is invaluable.”

Critical conservation effort

While important to the pregnancy, the ultrasounds and blood tests on Doppsee provided more than imaging of her baby. Black rhinoceroses are critically endangered with only 5,000 remaining in the wild and 60 in protected environments.