[Photo] Southern White Rhinoceros calf in Budapest Zoo. The baby rhino is being fed by zoo workers until its mother is ready.

The world's first rhinoceros conceived by artificial insemination has been born, Budapest Zoo has announced.

The female baby rhino was born late on Tuesday and weighed some 128lbs (58kg) after a pregnancy lasting 16 months and 15 days.

Vets decided to inseminate the 26-year-old mother, Lula, in 2005, when she failed to conceive naturally.

The baby rhino, who has yet to be named, was described as "full of life" by zoo officials.

"The little one seemed active [...]. An hour after being born it stood up on its own legs," a statement said.

'Suckling problems'

The zoo said that although Lulu had been introduced to a male rhino called Easyboy, the two had not shown any sexual interest in each other, prompting the decision to attempt artificial insemination.

"The two have developed a friendship, more of a relationship between siblings," the zoo said.

The mother has so far failed to nurse the baby and shown some aggression which vets say can be normal in an inexperienced mother.

She is being fed by zoo workers until the mother is ready to feed her.