Al Ain Zoo welcomes baby Southern white rhino
Animal was first trained by specialists to integrate with other rhinos at the zoo
Abu Dhabi: A baby Southern white rhino has joined other animals at Al Ain Zoo.
The zoo welcomed the new rhinoceros into its Mixed African Exhibit, which already includes four other rhinos. The introduction of the newborn rhino is in line with the zoo’s strategy to support this endangered species, which is listed as Near Threatened in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, the zoo said in a statement today.
Al Ain Zoo has a coherent programme for rhinos that includes an environment that resembles the animal’s natural habitat, as well as nutritional, behavioural and health standards developed by vets and animal-care specialists.
Forming a strong bond
The complex process of training the young eight-month-old rhino to be able to integrate with others begins with animal-care specialists, who form a strong bond with the animal through a behavioural training programme with positive reinforcement. This training is usually carried out in a segregated, purpose-built area designed for the safety of the animal.
Conservation commitment
In addition to caring for its family of rhinos, Al Ain Zoo is also supporting the protection and conservation of wild black and white rhinos through its partnership with the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya. Al Ain Zoo’s support helps Lewa to track each individual rhino and to protect it from illegal poachers. The health of the animals is also monitored for research purposes. As part of the key roles of modern zoos, this is one of several commitments Al Ain Zoo has made to conserve endangered species in the wild, along with educating zoo visitors.