The Zoo Welcomes Two Eastern Black Rhinos

“We are excited to have Eastern black rhinos return to the Milwaukee County Zoo,” executive zoo director Amos Morris said. “I’m pleased to see the final phase of Adventure Africa complete — it was a project that spanned many years, and many people played a role in seeing this capital project to completion. I am looking forward to welcoming guests into this space and seeing them enjoy being closer than ever to rhinos and hippo and hope they can learn from this interactive design. It’s a proud day for the Milwaukee community overall to have rhinos back for the first time since 2021, and we are honored to participate in the Species Survival Plan® (SSP) for these great animals.”

Zuri arrived to MCZ on Thursday, October 23 via ground transport from the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Known as Seyia to Cincinnati guests, she is 16 years old, born September 28, 2009, at BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo before moving to Cincinnati in 2013. Zuri’s former zookeepers describe her as sweet, sassy, and affectionate, and a rhino who enjoys attention. She is cooperative and well-trained to participate in her own health care, allowing veterinary teams to check her safely and stress-free.

Kianga traveled to MCZ on Friday, October 24 from nearby Racine. Born on September 19, 2003, he is 22 years old and was in Racine Zoo’s care for 18 years after coming from the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois in 2007. Kianga enjoys training with his zookeepers and was well-known in Racine for blowing raspberries — a favorite behavior of his. He also participates in his own health care and is often eager to please, according to his former zookeepers.

Zuri and Kianga have been paired at MCZ due to a breeding recommendation for the Eastern Black Rhino SSP. The mission of an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) cooperatively-managed SSP Program is to manage species population with the interest and cooperation of AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, Accredited Related Facilities (ARFs), and Sustainability Partners. The species overall is classified as Critically Endangered according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Currently there are ~55 Eastern black rhinos in North America living in human care across 27 zoos. Rhinos in their natural habitat are threatened by multiple factors, including poachers, who kill them for their horns, and habitat reduction.

In Cincinnati, Zuri helped to expand the Eastern black rhino population, giving birth to two calves — Kendi, born in 2017 and Ajani Joe, born in 2020 — which is why the SSP has recommended her and Kianga be placed together at MCZ.

The Rhino Care Center and Robert Dohmen Hippo Indoor Haven are the final phase in the completion of MCZ’s Adventure Africa capital project, which began when the elephant and mixed species habitat opened in 2019 as Phase I. Phase II marked the renovation to the outdoor hippo habitat with underwater viewing in 2020.

Construction on the Rhino Care Center took place from April 2024 and was completed in September 2025 and includes an outdoor yard for rhinos; the Hippo Indoor Haven, a mixed species habitat where rhinos and zebras will rotate in the space; and a new habitat for red river hogs.

This space transforms how guests can visit animals year-round at MCZ, with the habitat design and interactive space allowing for a close-up experience, while also providing an indoor location to visit the Zoo’s hippo in the winter months.

Final preparations to open the building are currently underway and include allowing Zuri and Kianga to finish quarantine and acclimate to the new habitat, while also giving the animal care team time to adjust to the building and form important relationships with the new rhino pair.

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