Two wide-lipped rhinoceroses recently landed in Israel and joined the Ramat Gan Safari and the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem, as part of a program of the European Zoos Organization, of which the two places are members, to preserve the species, which is in danger of extinction.
The 8-year-old rhinos, from Penzi and their names, arrived in Israel from the zoo in the city of Lille in France at the end of a long bureaucratic process, after a careful examination by the species coordinator at the European Organization of Zoos and their adaptation to the zoos' abilities to hold this large and impressive species: the safari has owned rhinos since its inception, and they They have been breeding there since 1973, when to date 33 rhinos of this species have been born there.
The Biblical Zoo, for its part, makes a very important contribution to the European program by keeping males that are not intended for breeding.
As of the beginning of 2024, the herd of rhinos in the safari has nine rhinos: Atari, the aging male who is also the father of all the cubs;
Maya, Carnavala, Tupac, Karen Fells and her daughters Kifenzi and Camille, Rihanna and her daughter Rainey-Rafiki.
From Penzi on safari in Ramat Gan, photo: Shay Perry
Tupac, now an adolescent and strong male who challenges his father Atari, is a relative of the other rhinos.
Due to the genetic closeness between the individuals, it is important to prevent him from drowning the herd.
In order to maintain the genetic diversity essential to the health of the individuals in the herd and the health of the population in the zoos, females must be allowed to be fertilized by a male who is not a member of their family - therefore, the safari took in Mpenzi, while Tupac is expected to eventually move to the biblical zoo. Later, when he will be represented Genetically, it will not be transferred to Safari to continue breeding.
Now, Mapenzi is staying at the Aklum yard bordering the African savanna so he can get up close and personal with the safari's herd of rhinos, who have been eyeing the new tenant with curiosity.
On that occasion, he will be able to get to know the other herbivores in the savanna, the ostriches as well as the caretakers - and thus he will be able to get used to his new home.
Ino is getting to know the new place and the environment in the rhinoceros house next to the African courtyard in the biblical zoo, and he is expected to go out and get to know the other residents in the coming weeks.
Not in the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem, photo: Tal Shibuli
Hundreds are hunted every year
Wide-lipped rhinos live in the African savannas, often near water sources.
They are among the largest land animals, and adult males can weigh up to 4 tons.
The females are smaller than the males.
They got their name due to their wide rectangular lips.
The name White Rhino comes from a corruption of the name of the rhinoceros in the Afrikaans language spoken in South Africa.
The word Wide, which means wide, was replaced over time by the word Wit, which means white.
Thus, the rhinoceros was named White Rhino, and at the same time the narrow-lipped rhinoceros was named Black Rhino.
Wide-lipped rhinos have two horns located in the center of the face, with the upper one being smaller.
The large horn is longer and thinner in females than in males, as they need to protect their young.
already challenging his father.
Tupac in his youth (archive), photo: Tivor Yeger
The skin of these rhinos is gray, light and thick.
The duration of their pregnancy is about 18 months, and at the end of it, one puppy was born weighing about 50 kilograms.
The puppy is born without a horn, which is actually a roll of hair, and it will start growing immediately after birth.
By the age of six months, the puppy will double its weight.
A female rhinoceros can give birth approximately every three years.
The cub spends time with its mother almost until the time of the litter of its younger brother or sister.
Shortly before the litter, the mother hints to her adult cub that it is time to start an independent life.
A superstition regarding the miraculous medicinal properties associated with the rhinoceros horn results in the illegal poaching of hundreds of rhinos each year in Africa.
The breeding and conservation programs of the modern zoo organizations in the world were established with the goal of maintaining a healthy and sustainable population in zoos, which will serve as "insurance" for the dwindling population in Africa.
If the need arises and the natural habitat allows it, it will be possible to restore the population and return rhinos from the zoos to the wild.
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