Hand feeding rhinoceroses and giraffes – I don’t think we could have ended this internship in a more exciting way. On our last day at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, we met with Michele Gaffney and Torrey Pillsbury, Senior Keepers of about 26 years; they took us to see some of the species they look after in the field enclosures up at the park. We all climbed into the back of the keeper truck and bumped along the dirt trails across the East Africa and Asian Plains enclosures. In Asian Plains, we stopped to hand feed a group of Indian rhinoceroses some juicy red apples, which are one of their favorite treats! The rhinos came right up to the truck and opened their large mouths as we tossed apple after apple onto their slobbery tongues. Later, we made our way over to East Africa, where we pulled right up to a few hungry giraffes. We also hand fed these tall giants, but their special treat was a bunch of acacia leaves, which they went crazy over. They were stretching their lengthy necks into the truck and sticking out their long, snake-like tongues in all attempts to grab the leaves out of the truck and out of our hands. I felt like I was on a safari – it was amazing!

Since this time of the year is breeding season, some of the female rhinos and giraffes had babies tagging along by their sides. This is very beneficial to the Indian rhinoceros population because in the wild, this species is endangered. The Indian rhinoceros was hunted relentlessly in the nineteenth and early twentieth century; in fact, by 1908 in Kaziranga, one of the rhino’s main ranges, the population had fallen to around 12 individuals. This precious species is illegally poached for its single horn, which some cultures in East Asia believe has healing and potency powers and therefore is used for certain oriental medicines. Also, habitat loss is another cause for their decline. Luckily, several conservation efforts are in effect, and as a result their population of only 100 in the year 1900 has increased to nearly 2,500 a century later. The Indian and Nepalese governments, along with various conservation organizations, have taken significant steps toward Indian rhinoceros conservation. Conservation efforts include the protection of a wild population of at least 2,000 rhinos in some six major sanctuaries, continued anti-poaching efforts, preservation of a captive population capable of long-term viability, and reduction in the demand for rhino products.

As for the giraffes, their species is not currently endangered, however, their numbers have decreased in the past century. One subspecies, the Ugandan giraffe, is in the most trouble; there are only about 445 of them left in the wild. One of the reasons why some of the giraffes have declined in population is that man has hunted these magnificent animals for their meat, hide, and long black tail hairs. Fortunately, many giraffes in the wild are kept safe in game parks and sanctuaries.

Caitlin, Conservation Team

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