Two eastern black rhinos have joined the Milwaukee County Zoo as the zoo moves toward opening its new Ladish Co. Foundation Rhino Care Center in December.
“It’s a proud day for the Milwaukee community overall to have rhinos back for the first time since 2021, and we are honored to participate in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for these great animals,” zoo Executive Director Amos Morris said in a news release announcing the pair’s arrival.
Zuri, a 16-year-old female, arrived in Milwaukee Oct. 23 from the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, where she had lived since 2013. She was born in 2009 at the Baton Rouge Zoo.
Kianga, a 22-year-old male, arrived in Milwaukee Oct. 24 from the Racine Zoo, where he had lived for 18 years.
The two rhinos have been paired as potential breeding partners via the multi-zoo Eastern Black Rhino Species Survival Plan. Eastern black rhinos are classified as a critically endangered species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. At present, about 55 eastern black rhinos are living in 27 North American zoos, Milwaukee County Zoo stated in its announcement.
During her time in Cincinnati, Zuri gave birth to calves in 2017 and 2020.
The zoo plans to open its Rhino Care Center and Robert Dohmen Hippo Indoor Haven to the public in December. Construction was completed in September. Final preparations include giving Zuri and Kianga time in quarantine while they and the human care team acclimate to the new habitat and each other.
This new rhino space “is specifically designed for breeding, featuring six distinct stalls,” the zoo states on its website. “The flexibility and use of space is critical for rhinos, who are solitary in the wild.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 2 eastern black rhinos join Milwaukee County Zoo as it preps new habitat for opening
Reporting by Jim Higgins, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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