New Rhinos make their grand entrance to the road safari

New Rhinos make their Road Safari debut

Last week, new Southern white rhinos Granville and Azeeza met the rhino herd out in the Road safari. The confident duo made their debut in the 42-acre reserve alongside older females Mkuzi and Mirijam, and keepers couldn’t be more thrilled with how the introduction unfolded.

Image Credit: Bridget Davey Photography

Since their arrival, 5-year-old Granville and 3-year-old Azeeza had been gradually acclimatizing to their new surroundings in the rhino house and sand yard. But on the morning of Tuesday 27th August, it was time for them to explore the Road Safari and meet their new herd mates!

Keepers first released Mkuzi and Mirijam into the Road Safari for a couple of hours before letting Granville and Azeeza join them at their own pace. This carefully timed introduction allowed the rhinos to meet each other and explore their new home before visitors arrived, ensuring they were comfortable in the Road Safari surroundings.

Azeeza quickly showed her calm and collected nature in her new environment. As a young rhino who had never been exposed to cars or a reserve as expansive as Woburn’s, keepers kept a close eye on her. But Azeeza took it all in stride, spending most of the morning exploring her new home. Mkuzi and Mirijam were interested in little Azeeza, following her around, sniffing her, and keeping a watchful eye on her as she roamed the reserve.

Image credit: Bridget Davey Photography

While the confident young Granville was happily grazing alone, keepers began to notice a bond between him and Azeeza starting to develop, as she was seen running over to him multiple times in the day and sticking close by. Granville is used to a Road Safari environment as he was born at West Midlands Safari Park, where he was regularly alongside visitors' cars and other animals in a mixed reserve. He was particularly intrigued by the Asian elephants and could be seen calling to them in their adjacent enclosure.

Image Credit: Bridget Davey Photography

The pair even felt comfortable enough to lay down next to each other to take a well-deserved nap after an exciting day. Meanwhile, Mkuzi and Mirijam kept a close watch from a distance, intrigued by the budding new friendship between the young rhinos.

Image Credit: Bridget Davey Photography

A hopeful future

Keepers are overjoyed how smoothly the mixing went, noting that Granville and Azeeza had already become fast friends. This successful introduction brings hope for a bright future, with the possibility of breeding offering progression in conservation efforts for Southern white rhino, which are currently classified as ‘Near Threatened.’

Image Credit: Bridget Davey Photography

Visit the herd

On your next visit, be sure to keep an eye out for the new arrivals! Granville’s darker shade and Azeeza’s unique pinkish hue from the mud at her previous home make them easy to spot. Both are still smaller in size than Mkuzi and Mirijam, but they’re already making a big impression. Don’t forget to snap some photos of the two newcomers on your next visit!