A BABY white rhino has taken its first tottering steps at a Cotswold zoo.

The currently unnamed nipper became only the third white rhino to be born in Britain this year after it arrived early at Cotswold Wildlife Park.

On Tuesday, August 18, at 7pm, white rhino Nancy gave birth to her second male calf - just five months after her first calf, Ian, was born.

Births in captivity are considered extremely rare and only 14 white rhinos have been born in European zoos in the last 12 months. Cotswold Wildlife Park has been responsible for two out of the three recorded UK births.

Unlike last time, park keepers knew Nancy was pregnant, but the new rhino came a little earlier than expected.

Curator Jamie Craig said: “After almost 40 years of desperately trying to breed from our old group of rhinos with no success, we are delighted to now have had three calves since 2013.

“The newest member of the herd was somewhat more of a surprise than we’d like, but at present, all seems to be going well.”

White rhinos have a gestation period of approximately 16 months.

Visitors can see the new calf daily from 10am to 6pm.

The northern white rhinoceros is so endangered species there are only a handful of them left in the world.