Columbus Wilds has rhino baby boom
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — It might not seem like a seasonable destination but The Wilds in the winter and early spring can be pretty amazing, especially if you love rhinos.
There are currently six adorable reasons to book your next adventure.
“We’ve had six calves born at the wild this year. We had four white rhinos, and two greater one horned rhinos. All between the months of September and early February, we’ve had them within a really short time too so they’re all around the same age,” said Cody Cseplo, an animal management specialist at The Wilds. “They’re all kind of growing up with their parents and her mates, and learning how to be little rhinos.”
If six births seems like a lot, that’s because it is. This baby boom is a record for staff at The Wilds who remain relatively hands-off in the birthing process. Beyond setting up spaces for the rhinos to be born, the staff is really just monitoring each calves progression.
“We want to make sure that a calf stands within an hour or two, after being born,” said Cseplo. “We want to make sure that the calf nurses within an hour or two hour after that. And then we just want to make sure that calf is nursing, routinely and processing nutrients as it should, and growing into developing properly.”
During these colder months, having large facilities to keep them in socially appropriate environments helps with their progress. “To keep the white rhinos as a herd and let the calves grow up with the rest of the herd from the time they month old, which is what they’re doing in the wild,” said Cseplo.
“They get to interact with all the others at a month old and then we’re able to emulate here and that’s pretty unique for our situation. Being able to keep the one horned rhinos more individually, but then incorporate them at a later age. Being able to have space and facilities to do that, it’s very unique in this world and I’m very fortunate to be a part of that and be able to witness it each day.”
You can see the rhinos up close and personal by visiting during the winter and early spring months and taking one of the winter rhino barn tours. Follow this link for more information.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
