Sacramento Zoo welcomes first rhino in its history
SACRAMENTO — For the first time in its 96-year history, the Sacramento Zoo is home to a rhinoceros.
Tuesday afternoon, a 28-year-old southern white rhino, J Gregory, barreled into the hearts of zoo staff — including Sacramento Animal Care Specialist Jocelyn Katzakian.
"We're really, really excited, and we got a super awesome rhino, too," Katzakian said. "He's a really chill, calm dude."
J Greg spent the last five years at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, California. He was the zoo's primary male breeder. Believe it or not, the climate and environment are very similar to Sacramento, with cool winters and triple-digit summers. They don't expect the adjustment to be an issue for the new rhino.
So what's the reason behind the move? San Diego Zoo Wildlife Specialist Westen Popichak said J Greg served his time in San Diego well, advancing the vulnerable species through their conservation efforts. The plan to move the rhino up north was part of the Species Survival Plan.
"He did a wonderful job of having six little babies in his time at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park," Popichak said. "It is recommended good practice to have rhinos moving around and create good genetic diversity."
The transport of a several thousand-pound animal is typically a tricky feat, but with J Greg's calm demeanor, caregivers say it went off without a hitch.
"We were expecting great results and he surpassed even that, it was a really, really smooth process," Popichak said.
While the arrival of the new rhino is a historic moment for the Sacramento Zoo, it's also educational. The zoo explains the significance of the addition:
"There are two subspecies of white rhinoceros: the threatened southern white rhinoceros and the critically endangered northern white rhinoceros. The Sacramento Zoo is proud to support the work of International Rhino Foundation who manages wild populations of all rhino species and works with local communities. The Sacramento Zoo is proud to support the work of International Rhino Foundation who manages wild populations of all rhino species and works with local communities."
Katzakian reminds the public that with every ticket sold, it helps ongoing animal conservation efforts including work to help protect the rhino species.
"Their numbers are threatened in the wild. Their numbers themselves are at a vulnerable state," Katzakian said. "By coming here, paying for a ticket, you are directly helping support rhinos in the wild."
Katzakian said as the Sacramento Zoo begins to dream of expansion to a new Elk Grove location, this new addition will serve a very important purpose. Plans to expand beyond the current facility have been in the works for years with approval still needed from the Elk Grove City Council.
"He is going to be an ambassador to his species to promote our new zoo, so we can show people what the zoo can look like and what awesome species we can have there," Katzakian said.
You can catch a glimpse of J Gregory in his new exhibit in the renovated habitat that once housed the African bongo antelope. The enclosure is located between the Galapagos tortoise and Grevy's zebra habitats. Zoo staff believe he will be able to roam his full enclosure by the weekend while he adjusts to the long travels and settles into his new home.
