Only an estimated 3,610 black rhinos, an African species, are thought to survive in the wild according to the International Rhino Foundation. Most are in Southern African and Kenya.

Black rhino numbers plummeted by 96 percent, to around 2,300, between 1970 and 1992 due to poaching and then started to recover after the species was declared an endangered species, the conservation organisation added on its website.

There are now some 200 black rhinos in captivity, around a third of them in Europe. Zoos have launched an intensive breeding programme to help save the species from extinction.

The baby rhino, which has not yet been named, weighed around 36 kilogrammes at birth.

"The animal was very single-minded from birth. Within around two hours it was on its feet and soon afterwards started to take its mother's milk," said zoo spokeswoman, Jana Mysliveckova.

The zoo has launched a competition to name the newborn rhino with a deadline of February 28 for suggestions.

Dvur Kralove is one of the main European zoos specialising in African wildlife, with many animals able to roam free on its 64-hectare site.

All rights reserved. � 2005 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.