Baby Rhino Rolling Around in the Mud at Chester Zoo Is Making Everybody Smile
If you need a quick pick me up, this video that Chester Zoo shared is it! The zoo, located in Cheshire, England, shared a video of their baby rhinoceros playing in the mud on Tuesday, February 6th, and I can't quit watching all the cuteness!
While rolling around in the mud might not sound like a cute thing to see, when you watch a baby rhino doing it, you might change your mind. The video is less than 30 seconds long, but just seeing the baby's excitement will make your day!
Too cute, right?! I could watch this all day and have already watched it five or six times! I thought what @Chester Zoo said in the caption was cute too, "It's important to look after your skin." Baby already knows it! Unfortunately for us, we don't know the little rhino's name or if it's a boy or girl. I did a quick search, and it looks like the zoo welcomed a new baby rhino back in November 2023, but didn't give any more info about the baby.
Related: Mama Rhinoceros Shows off Her Adorable New Baby in Irresistible Video
Why Do Rhinos Roll in the Mud?
While it's a cute video, rolling around in the mud does actually serve a purpose. When they roll around in mud or dust, it's called wallowing, and it helps protect them from sunburn, insect bites, and can even cool them off during times of high humidity. As big and strong as they are, their skin is sensitive and easily irritated by the sun, insects, and parasites.
An additional reason for rolling in the mud is because they are maintaining existing mud holes, which as you can imagine can be difficult in the wild when the sun beats down on them all day.
Another cool fact about rhinos is what they call a group of them - it's called a 'crash'! A crash can be made up by as little as just a few rhinos or dozens of them. They can crash through just about anything, so the name seems to fit!
And speaking of crashing through things, it's their terrible eyesight that gives them a bad rap about having a bad temper. Because they are horribly nearsighted, they can't make things out that are far away from them. If they are startled, they will run towards the threat, often leaving them crashing into boulders or trees that they think are predators or enemies.
I'm going to follow Chester Zoo's TikTok account because I want to see more of this adorable baby rhino. Maybe one day they'll properly introduce us all to the baby. And make sure to check out the sweet baby chimpanzee they welcomed into their family earlier this week, too!
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