Virginia Zoo: Okavango Delta, part 2

Across from the African Lions at the Virginia Zoo is a habitat that was originally designed for the zoo's African Elephants.  A few years ago, the zoo made the decision that keeping African Elephants was not in the best interest of their elephants given the limited space available in their habitat.  As a result, their Elephants were transferred to the ZooMiami to join their existing herd in a newly expanded and renovated habitat there.  To fill the void, the zoo renovated this habitat to accommodate another iconic large African species, the Southern White Rhinoceros.  The first Rhinos to call the Virginia Zoo home arrived in April of 2017, a pair of step-sisters, Bora and Zina.  These two were immediately hailed as superstars in the world of Southern White Rhinoceros conservation, because they came from the Singapore Zoo and bring with them unique DNA.  In August of 2017, the 11-year-old male, Sibindi arrived from the White Oak Conservation center in Florida.  It was quite lovely to see the three of them getting along so wonderfully.  Obviously the hope is that little Southern White Rhinoceros will be one day soon pattering about at the Virginia Zoo. 

Like other exhibits, there are multiple opportunities to view the animals.  The first was through a bamboo thicket.  As the path progresses around the habitat you rise on another boardwalk to a central structure that is the holding barn for the Rhinos as well as other animals found on the other side of the structure.  At the top on the side of the Rhinoceros is a wide deck where I also discovered an educational display about Rhinoceros and Pangolins.