A rare southern white rhino has been born at a zoo in Belgium, at Pairi Daiza zoo. 

The zoo said in a statement that Madiba, the mother, and her baby are doing well. 

The species is endangered and there are only an estimated 18,000 southern white rhinos in the wild. 

They are said to be being killed by poachers at a rate of one every eight hours. White rhinos are the second largest land mammal.

Europe's captive breeding program seeks to boost numbers of the animals, and through such schemes, another rhino, Elie, is expected to also give birth before the end of the year. Both of the pregnancies are natural.

Another southern white calf was born via artificial insemination in San Diego in July, in a move that the zoo hailed as a step towards perfecting the technique. 

The aim is to ensure that the southern white rhino avoids the fate of the northern white rhino, where there are only two left alive, both females.

They will die out unless there is a successful artificial breeding program.