Nanook

Elephant/Rhino Pavilion 16/6/86

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Thank you very much for all the interesting old photographs you’ve loaded recently; these brought back many memories.

Sorry to be pedantic, though, but the date on this one must be wrong as London Zoo didn’t have white rhinos in 1990.

The zoo’s male northern white rhino ‘Ben’ was sent to Dvur Kralove in 1986; in the same year, the zoo’s female southern white rhino ‘Mashobeni‘ was sent to Glasgow. How time flies; it is hard to believe that was nearly thirty years ago.
 
Thank you very much for all the interesting old photographs you’ve loaded recently; these brought back many memories.

Sorry to be pedantic, though, but the date on this one must be wrong as London Zoo didn’t have white rhinos in 1990.

The zoo’s male northern white rhino ‘Ben’ was sent to Dvur Kralove in 1986; in the same year, the zoo’s female southern white rhino ‘Mashobeni‘ was sent to Glasgow. How time flies; it is hard to believe that was nearly thirty years ago.

Hi Tim, yes you are correct, I have just checked the date and it is 16th June 1986, this is what happens when you try to up-load a bunch of mixed up photos!!
 
Am I the only one that finds the above behaviour common in captive white rhino? Both black and GOH rhino seem to be far more active in a zoo environment.
 
It is worth recording that the Casson Pavilion proved a successful facility for rhino. They lived long and (at least in the case of the Eastern Black) bred well.

Note for trivia buffs; in 1974 the building held Great Indian, Northern White and Eastern Black Rhino. I don't suppose one building in the UK will ever again hold three rhino species.
 
Am I correct in thinking that the Northern white rhino was one of a pair that were brought in in 1955, from the wild?

What was the story with London and Southern white rhinos? I presume that none were at the zoo until relatively recently. is that correct? The above-mentioned Mashobeni went to Glasgow in 1986; when did she come to the zoo? Were there any others, besides her?

Rather annoyingly, the ZSL annual reports only started featuring full lists of animals in the collection in the late 1970s, and even then it was not to sub-specific level.
 
Am I correct in thinking that the Northern white rhino was one of a pair that were brought in in 1955, from the wild?

What was the story with London and Southern white rhinos? I presume that none were at the zoo until relatively recently. is that correct? The above-mentioned Mashobeni went to Glasgow in 1986; when did she come to the zoo? Were there any others, besides her?

Rather annoyingly, the ZSL annual reports only started featuring full lists of animals in the collection in the late 1970s, and even then it was not to sub-specific level.

To answer your questions, “Sooty”

Yes, a pair of wild-caught northern white rhinos “Ben” and “Bebe” arrived at London Zoo in 1955; these were the first white rhinos at London Zoo.

Sadly “Bebe” died in 1964. Later that year the female southern white rhinoceros “Mashobeni” was sent from Whipsnade as a companion for “Ben”; she was the only southern white rhino to have been exhibited at London Zoo.. (“Mashobeni” also spent a while back at Whipsnade in the mid 1970s before returning to London.)
 
It is worth recording that the Casson Pavilion proved a successful facility for rhino. They lived long and (at least in the case of the Eastern Black) bred well.

Note for trivia buffs; in 1974 the building held Great Indian, Northern White and Eastern Black Rhino. I don't suppose one building in the UK will ever again hold three rhino species.

The Black rhinos bredd well ? How many calfs were born, and how many of them were raised ?

By the way-London has kept four rhino species at the same time in the same building-but this was a long time ago, I think, between 1872 and 1879,when the Javan Rhino passed away and left the"collction"to"only"three speices of rhino.Personally,I saw only one "collection" with four rhino species in my life.
 
By the way-London has kept four rhino species at the same time in the same building-but this was a long time ago, I think, between 1872 and 1879,when the Javan Rhino passed away and left the"collction"to"only"three speices of rhino.Personally,I saw only one "collection" with four rhino species in my life.

I think London Zoo would have had four species of rhinoceros (Indian, Javan, Sumatran and black) between 1874 and 1885.

The White Oaks Conservation Centre had four species of rhinoceros (Indian, Sumatran, white and black) for a while.

Other than these two places I cannot think of anywhere else that has ever had four species of rhinoceros simultaneously. Is there anywhere ?
 
I think London Zoo would have had four species of rhinoceros (Indian, Javan, Sumatran and black) between 1874 and 1885.

The White Oaks Conservation Centre had four species of rhinoceros (Indian, Sumatran, white and black) for a while.

Other than these two places I cannot think of anywhere else that has ever had four species of rhinoceros simultaneously. Is there anywhere ?

Tim, I thought northern white rhino now count as a full species. So in hindsight there should be more zoos with 4 species simultaneously.

I will have to check my rhino bible … next! :D


F southern white Mashobeni was transferred to Glasgow on 17/10/1986 (and died there 16/12/1995) at around 34 YoA.

M northern white Ben was transferred to Dvur on 27/8/1986 and died less than 4 years later June 25th 1990 (at 39 YoA).
 

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