Ranger, a 4-month-old white rhino calf, made his debut today on the Kilimanjaro Safaris savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Park guests now have a chance to see Ranger explore his new environment as he and his mother, Kendi, begin spending more time on the savanna after bonding for the past few months out of guest view. Ranger has been playing, wallowing in the mud and interacting with the entire rhino herd. (David Roark, photographer)

Photos: 4-month old white rhino calf heads out one the savanna

Steve Liebman February 24, 2021

1 minute read

Ranger, the 600-pound four month-old white rhino, is now out and exploring the savanna on Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

He joined his crash (the rhino herd) and with is mom, Kendi, he started exploring the area.

“Ranger was eager to explore his new environment with his head high and ears up – plunging right into the mud alongside Kendi for a good wallow before running around to see all the new savanna sights. This rambunctious rhino calf made fast friends with his ‘aunties; Lola and Jao, and mom Kendi kept close by to make sure Ranger stayed out of trouble. Of course, such an adventurous morning requires lots of energy, so there was plenty of nursing and napping going on, too,” Scott Terrell, director of Animal & Science Operations, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, wrote on the Disney Parks Blog.

Ranger was born Oct. 25, 2020 and was nursing, standing and walking around with him mom within the first hour of being born. He has grown more than four times his birth weight

Ranger, a 4-month-old white rhino calf, made his debut on the Kilimanjaro Safaris savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. (Photo by David Roark/Disney)

Ranger explores his new environment as he and his mother, Kendi, begin spending more time on the savanna after bonding for the past few months out of guest view. (Photo by David Roark, Disney)

Ranger and his mother, Kendi, on the savanna. (Photo by David Roark/Disney)

Mom and baby spent time bonding backstage before joining the rest of the herd. Other animals, like gorillas or mandrills, may make their onstage debut within a few hours of birth, with baby clinging onto mom’s chest.