The upgrading of facilities has allowed for two rhinos (KC and Tony) to intefrate new living quarters disigned especially for them.

The two males, 5 1/2 and 5 years old, are still juveniles. White male rhinoceroces reach sexual maturity at about 6 years of age. They are half brothers, having the same father. They have been inseparable since being weaned at one.

KC and Tony were born at the White Oak Conservation Center, a threatened species conservation and reproduction centre located in northern Florida. In addition to white rhinoceroses, White Oak oversees the reproduction of black and Asian rhinoceroses.

This year, the visitors will admire, on the African Trails, these large mammals in cohabitation with the zebras.

White rhinoceros

(Ceratotherium simum)

Lifespan: 40 years

Weight: between 2,300 and 5,000 Kg

Diet: short grasses

Habitat: semi-agrid plains, savannahs

This is the second largest ground mammal (the elephant takes first place). Despites its massive size, the white rhinoceros can charge at a speed of 50km/hr over short distances. Its mediocre eyesight prevents it from seeing inanimate objects over 30 metres away. Early in the 20th Century, intensive hunting reduced its numbers to about 50 specimens; protective measures have brought this number up to nearly 10,000 individuals.