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Does anyone know what subspecies of white rhino Catskills game farm had?

Discussion in 'General Zoo Discussion' started by Jena, 28 Aug 2018.

  1. Jena

    Jena Well-Known Member

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    hey y'all I'm trying to figure out something and that is what white rhino did Catskills game farm had before they closed? I found out it was a white rhino but don't know if it's the northern or southern species of white rhino. His name was apparently Boom Boom. The reason I'm asking this despite the place closing in 2006. Was that I went to the Catskills game farm in 2004. And I'm curious if it was the northern white rhino because that would mean I would of saw a rhino subspecies that's practically almost extinct today. As the last male one died this year. Or if it was the southern white rhino??? I know I saw the rhino from old family videos I watch but can't find what subspecies the rhino was? So does anyone here know?
     
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  2. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The only Northern White Rhinos that were ever in the US were at San Diego...

    ~Thylo
     
  3. Tim May

    Tim May Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    I'm sorry to contradict you but that's incorrect

    I know that the northern white rhinoceros "Gus", previously at Southampton Zoo in England, was sent to Lion Country Safari Park in Florida.

    (Edit: both St. Louis Zoo and Washington Zoo received pairs of northern white rhinos in the 1950s. Both of these zoos sent their northern white rhinos to San Diego in 1972.)

    I am not at home at the moment but can supply further details later, if you're interested.

    I do agree with the point you were making, though, "Boom Boom" was a southern white rhino.
     
    Last edited: 28 Aug 2018
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  4. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Boom Boom was a southern white rhinoceros. He was sold to a canned hunting ranch, but then purchased by the founder of Ecko Clothing and donated to Out Of Africa, a wildlife park in my state of Arizona. There are photos I took in their gallery. He died in 2012 and was eventually replaced at the park with another male.
    Boom Boom the rhino dies at Out of Africa
     
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  5. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Thank you for the correction, I would love further details about the species in American zoos.

    ~Thylo
     
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  6. Tim May

    Tim May Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    OK; I’m now able to provide further details without having to rely on my memory.

    The fascinating book "The Rhinoceros in Captivity" (Rookmaaker, 1998) lists five northern white rhinos that were held in zoos in the USA other than San Diego.

    (a) According to Rookmaaker, St. Louis Zoo received a pair of northern white rhinos "Dinka" and "Joyce" on 28th July 1957. Both these rhinos were sent to San Diego Wild Animal Park on 7th August 1972. (This information tallies exactly with the details in the studbook.)

    (b) According to Rookmaaker, Washington Zoo received a pair of northern white rhinos "Bill " and "Lucy" on 4th September 1956. Both these rhinos were sent to San Diego Wild Animal Park in April 1972. (NB the year of arrival in Washington, detailed in Rookmaaker's book, differs from that provided by the studbook; the studbook gives the date of arrival at Washington as 4th September 1954 not 1956. It should be noted that Crandall’s book “The Management of Wild Mammals in Captivity” (1964) concurs with Rookmaaker, that they arrived at Washington in 1956.)

    (c) Rookmaaker’s book is rather vague about the American destination of Southampton Zoo’s northern white rhino "Gus" merely stating that, in May 1967, it was sent to an “unidentified safari park in Florida”. However, the on-line Rhino Resource Centre states it was shipped to Lion Country Safari Park, West Palm Beach, Florida in May 1967.
     
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  7. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    All very very interesting thank you for the information. By "Washington Zoo" I assume you mean the National Zoo yes? Also I take it there's no info. on the fate of the Southampton rhino?

    ~Thylo
     
  8. Tim May

    Tim May Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    You're welcome.

    Indeed, I do mean the National Zoo (Smithsonian) in Washington.

    Unfortunately, I don't know the ultimate fate of the ex-Southampton northern white rhino (but I do know he attacked a keeper in Florida in 1973, so he was obviously there for at least six years).
     
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