Zoo Atlanta's first southern white rhino calf dies at 2

Zuri, the first southern white rhino born at Zoo Atlanta, has died after a brief illness. Despite intensive treatment and an emergency blood transfusion, the zoo said that the 2-year-old female died Friday, Nov. 6, after a sharp decline in her health and behavior. Blood tests showed severe anemia, according to the zoo. Veterinarians treated Zuri with compatible blood from Dakari, an adult female rhino at Zoo Atlanta, and blood donated by other accredited facilities. Her condition continued to worsen despite that care. "This is a devastating loss for the Zoo Atlanta team," said Sam Rivera, the zoo's vice president of animal health. The cause of her illness has not been determined. A necropsy, an animal autopsy, will be performed through the zoo's partnership with the University of Georgia. Preliminary results are expected in several weeks. Zuri was born on Christmas Eve in 2023 to mother Kiazi and father Mumbles. Her name, which can mean "beautiful" in Swahili, won a naming contest that drew more than 4,000 votes in 2024. The zoo said its rhino care team is closely monitoring Kiazi and Dakari, with whom Zuri spent most of her time, and providing extra care following her death. Southern white rhinos are classified as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In: Atlanta Rhinoceros Featured Local Savings