If you missed the last update, you can read it here.
Before you know it, our tour was off. For the Rhino tour you cannot take any pictures or videos because the whole thing is backstage. I’m sure safety of the animals is a factor, too.
Our main guide was Jenene (I think I have the spelling right). We went to the Rhino barn which is near the Elephant and Cheetah barns. Disney has 5 rhinos (4 females and 1 male). The male, Dugan, is never and has been there for about a year. Apparently, he’s 24 and had never been around lady rhinos before. So, I’m sure he’s currently living his best life trying to make more rhinos for the world. As of our tour, he’d been bred to 3 of the females. Fingers crossed for a future baby rhino or two.
There was another male rhino, Frankie, but he’s gone to another AZA location. It’s important to change up bloodlines and Frankie already fathered several rhinos with the ladies at Animal Kingdom. Two females born at Disney actually were sent to Uganda to help them repopulate the wild rhinos. And they’ve had multiple babies. How cool is that?
They told us that recently the first baby white rhino in Uganda in 20 years had been born. Again, so exciting!
She also told us about the differences between Southern and Northern white rhinos. The Northern white rhino are actually considered extinct. The last male died relatively recently. And there are only 2 females left who are both too old to breed.
Scientists are trying to figure out other ways to repopulate or cross-breed. In San Diego they had a successful artificial insemination which is good news.
Then, we got to meet and touch Dugan. He was very big, but nice. He’s covered in hair-kind of like a human’s legs. He kind of feels like a hairy basketball-his skin has little bits of texture.
Apparently, Dugan has a favorite scent. It’s Obsession by Calvin Klein. His previous zookeepers sent a bottle with him so he would be comforted in his new home. I don’t know how you determine a rhino’s favorite scent, but I’m not an animal expert.
We did have to move a little bit because the cheetahs were coming in. Another CM who was with us said they can get a little excited especially if kids are around.
Dugan was ready to head out to the savannah and hang out with the ladies, so our tour wrapped up. You can take a picture with a rhino cut-out, but dad and I skipped that. Overall, this was a great and informative tour. Definitely worth it. We recommend it.
Up next: Finishing Up at Animal Kingdom
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