The yet-to-be-named baby Southern White Rhino spent her first morning on display investigating the enclosure and staring inquisitively at passer-bys.

Born on April 10 the healthy rhino calf is a boon for both the zoo and Australasian zoo-breeding programs.

“Her birth is a big thing for the Southern White Rhino population in Australasia,” keeper Pascale Benoit said.

“Females are very difficult to produce in captivity so we were delighted when we found out she was a girl.”

Ms Benoit said the rhino calf weighed more than 55 kilograms at birth and would one day grow to weigh about two tonnes.

“She is a typical baby. She is starting to approach the others in the herd and learn more about the world around her. “So far she is settling in nicely,” Ms Benoit said.