Zoo Atlanta Southern White Rhino Zuri Dies Following Illness

Zuri, the first southern white rhino born at Zoo Atlanta, died on November 6 following a brief illness, WTVM reported.

The two-year-old female rhino experienced a sharp decline in health and behavior earlier in the week, with subsequent blood tests revealing she was suffering from severe anemia. Veterinary teams administered extensive treatments that included an emergency blood transfusion using blood sourced from an adult female rhino named Dakari and other AZA facilities.

Despite the medical intervention, Zuri’s condition continued to deteriorate until her death.

“This is a devastating loss for the Zoo Atlanta team,” said Sam Rivera, DVM, Vice President of Animal Health. “The loss of Zuri is crushing not only because she was such a young animal who was treasured as an individual, but also because she was an incredibly valuable member of her vulnerable species.”

Born on Christmas Eve in 2023, Zuri held a special place in the institution’s history as the first offspring of mother Kiazi and father Mumbles. Her Swahili-derived name, meaning “beautiful,” was chosen by public vote from more than 4,000 submissions during the zoo’s 2024 “Rhino Naming Madness” event.

Following the loss, the Rhino Care Team has turned its attention to monitoring Kiazi and Dakari, whom the zoo identified as Zuri’s aunt.

While veterinarians hope that pathology reports will tell them more about Zuri’s condition, the findings remain pending. A necropsy will be performed through a partnership with the University of Georgia Zoo and Exotic Animal Pathology Service in the College of Veterinary Medicine, with preliminary results expected in several weeks.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies southern white rhinos as Near Threatened. Poaching for horns is an issue for all rhinos, and southern white rhinos are especially vulnerable because they often travel in herds in the wild.

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