The Ladish Co. Foundation Rhino Care Center Opens Dec. 9

The outdoor yards provide over 36,000 square feet including individual yards for rhinos, zebras and red river hogs. The exterior yards for these animals use 100% of previous animal viewing space.

The Rhino Care Center and Hippo Indoor Haven are the final phase in the completion of MCZ’s Adventure Africa capital project, which began when the Elephant Care Center and mixed species habitats opened in 2019 as Phase I. Phase II marked the renovation to the Dohmen Family Foundation Hippo Haven outdoor habitat with underwater viewing in 2020. The total cost of this final phase was $22.6 million, with the Zoological Society of Milwaukee contributing to nearly $7.4 million of that total. The design-build team included Gilbane Building Company, Concord Group and SHR Studios.

The former rhino habitat was built in 1950 and no longer met modern zoological standards, prompting the creation of the Rhino Care Center, which prioritizes animal care and wellbeing, aligning with research-supported best practices for habitat design that affords the best offerings in overall animal care. All areas extend the possibility of conducting behavioral, nutritional, and reproductive assessments.

Guests will now be able to view rhinos and hippos in a more naturalistic indoor habitat. The design connects the former rhino and elephant habitats to create the new indoor and outdoor space, and a redesigned covered pathway. Roughly 75% of the old habitat building was renovated into this new design. The space transforms how guests can visit animals year-round at MCZ with the habitat design and interactive space.

The Zoo’s new pair of rhinos, Zuri and Kianga, arrived in late October and spent time in quarantine and acclimating to their new space in the Rhino Care Center. They have been paired at MCZ due to a breeding recommendation for the Eastern Black Rhino SSP. The mission of the 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).

Fast Facts:

• Rhinos can occupy either side of the Rhino Care Center, as they’ll also spend time in the Hippo Indoor Haven habitat.
• In the future, zebras and red river hogs can occupy the rhino side of the indoor habitat.
• The rock wall in the building was modeled from a photo that Executive Director Amos Morris took on a trip to Namibia. The rocks sit on the edge of a dry riverbed.
• The Rhino Care Center includes a classroom on the Hippo Indoor Haven side, which can also be used as a meeting space.