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Virginia Zoo welcomes third white rhino

Posted at 11:50 AM, Nov 08, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-08 11:50:57-05

NORFOLK, Va. – The Virginia Zoo welcomed its newest member over the weekend, an 11-year-old male white rhino named Sibindi.

Sibindi came from White Oak Conservation Center in Florida and will take resident in the zoo’s Africa area with rhinos Bora and Zina.

We’re so pleased to have our rhino herd complete,” said Greg Bockheim, Executive Director of the Virginia Zoo. “This process has taken nearly three years and with less than 20,000 White rhinos left in the wild, we are hoping this trio can contribute to the future of the species,” Bockeim added.

Bora and Zina, both females, came to the Zoo earlier this year from the Singapore Zoo and have a gene pool that is new to the United States.

Sibindi weighs approximately 3,800 pound and stands almost six feet tall.

After he is in quarantine for 30 days, visitors to the Virginia Zoo can see Sibindi from the windows inside the rhino barn.

During this quarantine and familiarization time, he will be under observation by the zoo’s veterinarian, vet tech and zoo keepers to make sure he is healthy and happy. After Sibindi has completed quarantine, he will gradually be introduced to the outside exhibit and Bora and Zina.