A monumental rite of passage was marked yesterday as a new baby rhino, joined by his mom Kendi, made his big savanna debut and joined the crash (a rhino herd) at Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.
Ranger, the four our-month-old white rhino calf, is the first for the herd in five years and he’s now grown to be more than four times his birth weight, weighing in at nearly 600 pounds.
Ever since his arrival was announced at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park this past October, guests have been wondering about the baby boy rhino and his mom Kendi, since many of them followed Kendi’s pregnancy story on the Disney+ original series “Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom,” produced by National Geographic.
Ranger was eager to explore his new environment with his head high and ears up – plunging right into the mud alongside Kendi for a good wallow before running around to see all the new savanna sights. This rambunctious rhino calf made fast friends with his “aunties” Lola and Jao, and mom Kendi kept close by to make sure Ranger stayed out of trouble. Of course, such an adventurous morning requires lots of energy, so there was plenty of nursing and napping going on, too.
Collectively, Disney’s Animal Care team has hundreds of years of experience, and their teamwork and expertise are crucial to ensuring Ranger’s successful transition to the savanna. But each animal is unique with their own personalities, development and family dynamics, so each onstage introduction is something special.
Kendi was paired with dad Dugan through one of the Species Survival Plans, which are overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to ensure the responsible breeding of endangered species. White rhinos are an endangered species with a near-threatened status.
