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Southern white rhino
Paignton Zoo is home to two male southern white rhinos, Khulu and Benja.
The young half-brothers arrived from Whipsnade Zoo in June 2026 and are the first southern white rhinos to live at Paignton Zoo for decades. They form an important part of the zoo’s developing Grasslands habitat.
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Perissodactyla
Family:
Rhinocerotidae
About the Southern white rhino
The southern white rhino is the largest living species of rhinoceros and one of Africa’s most iconic mammals. Native to southern Africa, southern white rhinos are found in countries including South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Botswana, where they inhabit open grasslands, savannas, and lightly wooded habitats with access to water.
As grazing herbivores, southern white rhinos feed primarily on grasses, using their wide, square-shaped lips to crop vegetation close to the ground. Their large size, thick skin, and impressive horns provide protection from predators, while their excellent sense of smell and hearing help them navigate their environment.
Conservation
Although southern white rhino populations recovered significantly from historic declines, the species continues to face threats from illegal poaching for the international horn trade. Poaching remains a major conservation challenge, particularly in South Africa, which supports the largest population of southern white rhinos.
Southern white rhinos are managed through coordinated international breeding programmes, helping to maintain healthy and genetically diverse populations in zoological collections. These programmes play an important role in supporting the long-term future of the species.