White rhinos are considered "Near Threatened" on the IUCN Red List. It is a daily struggle in Africa to for them to remain safe from the poachers who will kill a Rhino for it's horn. White rhinos have two horns, the foremost more prominent than the other. Rhino horns can grow as much as three inches (eight centimeters) a year, and have been known to grow up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) long.

According to National Geographic: The prominent horn for which rhinos are so well known has been their downfall. Many animals have been killed for this hard, hair-like growth, which is revered for medicinal use in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The horn is also valued in North Africa and the Middle East as an ornamental dagger handle.

The white rhino once roamed much of sub-Saharan Africa, but today is on the verge of extinction due to poaching fueled by these commercial uses. Only about 11,000 white rhinos survive in the wild, and many organizations are working to protect this much loved animal.

They are also being bred in special conservation areas. One such place is Lion Country in Florida in the U.S. According to Lion Country: "Lion Country Safari is home to 14 White Rhinos – 11 females and 3 males. Since 1979, Lion Country Safari has had 33 rhino offspring. We are pleased with our success as a participant in the White Rhinoceros Species Survival Plan (SSP), a program of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA)."

Recently at Lion Country, a new baby White Southern Rhino was learning to wallow in the mud by imitating her mother. The calf is named Anna and was born on April 6, after 16 months of gestation, weighing in at 155 lbs.


She was named Anna in honor of rhino conservationist Anna Merz, who died on April 4th of this year. "Merz was one of the founders of The Lewa Conservancy which was started to help save and conserve the Rhinos of Kenya and has grown to help conserve many species of birds and mammals in Africa."

Watch the video below to see Anna the baby Rhino playing in the mud.