What it takes to raise a rhino!

Hey everyone, my name is AJ, one of the members of the Hoofstock Animal Care Team. If you’ve been to the Zoo lately, there’s a good chance you’ve seen the incredibly curious and ever-growing rhino calf, Zuri! As of this blog, Zuri is nearly 8 months old and weighs in right around 800 pounds, a great weight for a calf her age. In fact, Zuri has been gaining an average of about 20 pounds every week, showing how well she has been taken care of by her mother, Kiazi. You may have seen some habitat modifications since Zuri was born or are just wondering what all goes into the part we play in her quality care, so that’s what I wanted to share with y’all today.

Zuri was born in the birthing stall of the rhino complex, with lots of hay and shavings on the ground to help insulate the floor and help keep the area nice, warm, and dry for the baby.  They also help make Kiazi as comfortable during the birth as possible. The Hoofstock Team, along with the Zoo’s Vet Team, were able to watch the birthing process through cameras set up in the stall.  Because Zuri would have the greatest success at life with Kiazi raising her, the decision was made to not intervene unless it was absolutely necessary.  Thankfully, Kiazi is an experienced mother and everything with the birth went as smoothly as possible. Zuri was born on Christmas Eve, and we couldn’t have been happier!

As Zuri continued to explore new spaces of the rhino complex, lots of measures were taken to ensure that her safety was the number one concern. We put “babyproofing panels” up along all perimeters of each space in the area to close gaps that are adult rhino proof but not quite Zuri proof! Additionally, we added concrete bricks to their large water troughs which allowed the rhinos to still drink but prevented Zuri from being able to get into the drinkers and ending up in deep water!

Zuri has grown quite a bit, as was described earlier, and we have been able to take down most of the baby proofing panels around their barn spaces, as well as all of the bricks out of the drinkers. While she had only been with her mom, Kiazi, since she was born, the biggest next step Zuri and the team had to take was introductions to the other rhinos. Safety, as mentioned before, is of utmost importance, so we wanted to give Zuri plenty of time to grow up happy and healthy with Kiazi before joining the “crash” of rhinos here at Zoo Atlanta.  After months of discussion and preparation, we recently started giving Kiazi and Zuri time out on habitat with the Zoo’s other adult female rhino, Dakari.  While there is nervous concern from the keepers before any animal introductions, as anything is possible, these concerns were unwarranted, as the introductions have been going extremely well.  Zuri seems to really like spending time with her “Aunt Dakari.” These monitored introductions will continue until the team feels they have been integrated well enough to share space regularly.

This is just one great example of how Zoo Atlanta is committed to conservation. Southern white rhinos are considered near threatened in their native ranges, with population decreases due in large to human interference. By sustaining a genetically healthy population of rhinos in AZA-accredited zoos like Zoo Atlanta, the Zoo is able to ensure this incredible species is protected in the future, and Zuri is the perfect little (not so little) ambassador! It takes a lot to raise a rhino!

AJ T.
Keeper II, Hoofstock