• Baby rhino gets a running start on her debut at San Diego Zoo

    Handout / Reuters

    Two-month-old one-horned rhino Charlees romps in her enclosure at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park during her public debut on March 20, 2012.

     

    San Diego Zoo: Two-month-old Charlees, whose name is Hindi for Charlie, made her public debut at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park Tuesday under blue skies after a rainstorm came through San Diego County this past weekend. The sunshine, combined with her first opportunity to explore the 40-acre Asian Savanna habitat, was a perfect mix for fun. She spent the morning running around meeting the rest of the Park’s seven-member greater one-horned rhino herd. Charlees is the 61st greater one-horned rhino born at the Safari Park since 1975, making the Park the foremost breeding facility in the world for this species. Once widespread in Southeast Asia, the greater one-horned rhinoceros now numbers approximately 2,800 and is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

     

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  • Ken Bohn /San Diego Zoo via AP

    This image provided by the San Diego Zoo shows Lily, a female red panda, exploring her surroundings during the opening of the new Panda Trek exhibit on Tuesday Aug. 9, 2011 in San Diego.

    Red Panda acclimates to new home at the San Diego Zoo

    By Mish Whalen

    The $2 million project created new living space that mimics China's bamboo forest for the red panda as well as seven Sichuan takins that also moved into their new exhibit on Tuesday. Learn more about the pandas here and check out the Zoo's panda cam!

  • Cutest. Thing. Ever. Baby royal antelope bottle feeds at the San Diego Zoo

    By Carissa Ray

    Occasionally we alert you when a new "cutest thing ever" comes our way. Here's my candidate for the latest title holder. According to Wikipedia, the royal antelope grows to only 10-12 inches tall and 9-10 lbs. Their calves are small enough to fit into the average person's open hand.

    See the video below and some of the other animals we've dubbed as the Cutest. Thing. Ever. here. And check out this week's Animal Tracks slideshow.

    Ken Bohn / San Diego Zoo via AFP - Getty Images

    Keeper Janet Hawes bottle-feeds a royal antelope that weighs just 17 ounces on Feb. 8, at the San Diego Zoo. Born on exhibit on Jan. 20, the calf was moved to the Zoo's veterinary hospital when he did not nurse and had a low body temperature. Because the royal antelope is so small, the bottle's nipple had to be specially designed for this species. The calf, which receives five bottle feedings a day, has gained seven ounces and is thriving. When the royal antelope calf is returned to his exhibit within the next week, animal care staff will continue bottle feedings in between his time socializing with the herd. The royal antelope exhibit is near the Bactrian camels on Front Street at the Zoo.

    A one-month-old royal antelope calf is being cared for by staff at the San Diego Zoo as they prepare for his public debut next week. TODAYshow.com's Dara Brown reports.