Hornprints from the Past

HORNPRINTS FROM THE PAST By WENDY PERKINS STAFF WRITER Photos by SDZG Although rhino-less for its first 36 years, San Diego Zoo Global’s past 63 years have been rhino-ful. Having at one time or another cared for four of the five recognized species, we are proud Barakas, a female Sumatran to have added to the rhino, charmed San Diego Zoo collective knowledge about visitors and staff alike, and gave these massive, mighty, us an opportunity to hone in on and, in many ways, still the fine details of this species’ mysterious animals. nutritional needs. SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL n SANDIEGOZOO.ORG 15 Greater One-horned Asian Rhino matran rhino, came to the Zoo These massive mammals first left in 1988. She was later joined (at an impression on Zoo visitors in separate times) by two males and 1963, when a male named Lasai another female. “During this came to San Diego from the Basel process, we learned a great deal Zoo. Lasai was then joined by a fe- about the species’ dietary needs,” male named Jaypuri, and the pair explained Carmi Penny, direc- Black rhinos Barney eventually moved to the Park. tor of collections husbandry sci- and Sally were the Zoo’s first rhinos. They formed the nucleus of the ence. “Our nutritionists worked greater one-horned rhino breed- on finding the optimum diet, and ing group, which grew to become we discovered that ficus browse is the largest initiative of its kind. vital to their well-being.” While Once established, results we no longer have this species at came quickly: in 1982, we had our facilities, we continue to play the first birth of a second-gen- a key role in supporting its sur- eration, zoo-born greater one- vival—our horticulture team has horned rhino in the Western regularly cut and shipped fresh Hemisphere! It was an exciting ficus branches to the Cincinnati moment, but there were even Zoo twice a week so the Sumatran more milestones to come, in- rhinos there have the best nutri- cluding the recent birth of a tion possible. Greater one-horned rhino Lasai fifth-generation, zoo-born calf. was the founding male of our Working with other zoos and Black Rhino breeding program, which currently organizations, including those in For the San Diego Zoo, 1952 boasts seven generations. India, we have been able to move was an exciting year. After many zoo breeding populations in and years, we finally had a rhino to out of the breeding group, which share with visitors! The cause Zibulo, our first southern white contributes to the genetic diver- of the commotion, a three-year- rhino calf, was nicknamed Ian sity. Over the years, our animal old black rhino named Sally, was after Ian Player (see sidebar). care staff and veterinary team a beloved resident at the Zoo have been able to refine husband- until her passing in 1985. Al- ry and management practices for though she had two mates (and the species and share our knowl- outlived them both), Sally never edge with other organizations bred. She did, however, teach the around the world. public and the Zoo staff a great deal about her kind. Visitors Sumatran Rhino discovered firsthand the mag- In the 1980s, as the wild popu- nificence of an animal they had lation of this species dropped only glimpsed in grainy mov- to fewer than 1,000, San Diego ies, while the Zoo learned the Zoo Global joined other US zoos dietary and husbandry require- in establishing the Sumatran ments for thriving black rhinos. Rhino Trust, working with the What we learned paid off. In Indonesian government toward 1976, the Park’s Dillion and Mu- saving the species. With the lenda produced the first black goal of learning more about its rhino calf in San Diego. The fe- reproductive biology and hus- male, named Nanyuki, remained bandry needs, as well as increase at the Park and bred as well. the numbers through breeding, “One of the things we’ve learned a few Sumatran rhinos were over the years is that each species brought to the US, including the of rhino is different,” said Randy San Diego Zoo. Rieches, Henshaw curator of Barakas, a 15-year-old Su- mammals at the Park. “Black Caring for northern white rhinos Nola, Saut, and Nadi added to our knowledge of this nearly extinct subspecies. 16 ZOONOOZ n MAY 2015 was taking shape, arrange- ments were made for a group of REMEMBERING IAN PLAYER 18 southern white rhinos to be Ian Player’s conservation career began in 1952 as a translocated from Zululand. game warden assigned to the Umfolozi Game Re- The newcomers were soon serve in South Africa. In his 1972 book The White joined by a pair that had been Rhino Saga, he shares the story of the first white at the Zoo since 1962. The male, rhino he saw and that later “I could think of noth- Mandhla, had never shown ing but the white rhino. Never had I been so im- a bit of interest in his female pressed and at the same time strangely involved companion. However, upon with an animal.” his arrival at the Park in 1972, In the late 1950s and early 1960s, there were he almost immediately began fewer than 450 white rhinos in the wild. Aware courting most of the females. that the rapidly declining populations were under On October 11, 1972, the first enormous pressure from hunters, poachers, and US-born southern white rhino farmers, Player devised and implemented an au- calf brought cheers from San dacious plan to translocate rhinos to other game Diego Zoo Global staff. farms and parks throughout Africa. His efforts The young male calf was paid off, and the number of southern white rhi- Ian Player (left) talks with Dr. Charles named Zibulo, a Zulu name Schroeder at the Park, with part of the white meaning “first fruits of man nos rose. In 1966, he was awarded the Zoological rhino herd in the background. Society of San Diego Conservation Medal for his or beast.” The name was cho- courageous vision and success. Park is one of the finest places outside Africa for sen because the rhino birth Anderson Borthwick, then Zoological Society white rhino propagation. When your president symbolized what the Park is trustee and later president, was greatly impressed Mr. Borthwick and your director Dr. Schroeder all about. He was nicknamed by Player, and the two became friends. As plans agreed, we merely shook hands on it and there Ian, after Ian Player, the chief for the Safari Park (then known as the Wild Ani- was never a piece of paper between us—an ex- conservator of the Natal Parks, mal Park) took shape, an agreement was reached ample of the faith that exists between those men Game and Fish Preservation for 18 southern white rhinos to be translocated to whose interest is in the animals of the world.” Board, who arranged for the the new facility in San Diego. At the Park’s dedi- Ian Player passed away last year, November first crash of southern white cation ceremonies in 1972, Player, then Zululand’s 30, 2014, and the conservation world lost a great rhinos to relocate to San Diego. Chief Conservator, shared his belief and support champion. As we move forward, caring for our We have welcomed the for the fledgling operation: “Some years back, I wildlife and striving to save species like the white births of nearly 100 southern came here to conclude a deal with the San Di- rhino from extinction, we do so with gratitude to white rhino calves over the last ego Zoo… I believed then, and still do, that this Mr. Player for the faith he placed in us. 40 years. One of the rhino-sized lessons we’ve learned is that white rhinos are social animals, and females need to be able to rhinos need to be alone—just Park, so that all four members San Diego Zoo Global remains form small groups, called coali- one male and one female. So of the species in the Western committed to helping this sub- tions, with other females. Our we’ve given them their own Hemisphere would be in one species. The question is how, success also appears to indicate area at the Park, and 14 calves place. Unfortunately, the ani- given the reality that there are that large spaces are necessary have been born.” mals never bred. only five of them left. for successful breeding to take In 1989, a male and two fe- place. Fortunately, we have that Northern White Rhino males—Nadi and our beloved Southern White Rhino space at the Safari Park, and In 1972, the Park welcomed Bill Nola—came to the Park. The Our success in breeding south- our keepers and researchers are and Lucy, two northern white trio was joined a year later by ern white rhinos is something continuing to work with and rhinos that had lived at the Na- Angalifu (who passed away we are extremely proud of. In study our white rhinos to better tional Zoo since 1956. The pair last year), but again, no breed- the lore of the Safari Park, our understand the finer details of came to us on a breeding loan, ing occurred. The reasons are southern white rhino crash be- breeding new generations. n in hopes they would reproduce somewhat of a mystery, but it is gan with a handshake between in a larger habitat. The St. Louis possible that the animals were humans, followed by the shuf- Wait, there’s more! See Zoological Society then sent its beyond breeding age when they fling steps of the rhinos them- photos of more rhino northern white rhinos to the arrived.

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