Andatu’s Almost A Big Brother!

You already know how excited we are for the new Sumatran rhino baby. Well Andatu, the big-brother-to-be, can’t wait to meet his younger sibling either!

And now a word from Andatu himself:

Well friends, I knew it was going to happen sooner or later. I’ve been separated from my mom for a while now and in my own new pen. Soon, I won’t be the baby of the family, but the BIG brother! I’m super excited because that means more Sumatran rhinos. Right now there only about 100 left on the planet so we need all the babies we can get!

I’m not too worried about no longer being the center of attention. I keep myself busy with lots of activities. I’ve got vines to pull down and wallows to build. I’ve got to hone my skills to be the best big brother ever!

Don’t get me wrong — it was certainly fun being a baby in the pen with my mom.. When I was born, everyone was so excited to meet me because I was the first Sumatran rhino born in captivity in Indonesia. I weighed only 60 lbs. then, and I LOVED to run and run and run. We’ll see if my little brother or sister can keep up.

My keepers here at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary say they’ve learned a lot from me. I’m the first baby to be born in captivity in Indonesia, back in 2012. My dad, Andalas, came to Indonesia when he was six years old from the Cincinnati Zoo. My mom was born in Way Kambas National Park, where the SRS is located, but wandered outside the park’s boundaries, had to be rescued, and was brought to the Sanctuary in 2005. My name is a combination of my mother’s and father’s names, but it is also short for an Indonesian term that means a “Gift from God.”

Now it’s almost time for me to be the big brother. All of the rhinos here at the SRS are patiently waiting for our newest addition. While I’m enjoying a few more months of being the baby, you can help me become the best big brother ever by hosting your own baby shower fundraiser!