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August is Rhino Month at Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens
August is Rhino Month. There will be a daily talk from our keepers throughout August at 2pm near the Rhino Paddock. Learn more about these iconic animals and the conservation work that is going on to try and protect them for future generations. We’re also giving you the chance to win a Rhino Encounter (details below).
Every weekend in August the Park will host Falconry demonstrations. See a variety of different birds from Eagles to Owls in these exciting demonstrations by Cotswold Falconry, which take place at 1.00pm and 3.30pm on the lawns in front of the Manor House.
Meet our Rhino Family
White Rhinos have always been an important species for the Park. The first Rhino arrived at Cotswold Wildlife Park, founded by Mr John Heyworth, in 1972. Since our male Monty arrived ten years ago, we've celebrated five breeding successes and hope for many more in years to come. Read all about our Rhino family at the Park below.
Meet Monty
Monty is our big friendly giant and dad to five calves: Astrid, Ian, John, Alan and Belle. Monty was born at Knowsley Safari Park on 25th April 2006. He arrived at the Park in 2009 shortly before Ruby and Nancy arrived.
He weighs roughly three tonnes and has the largest horn in our group of Rhinos.
Meet Nancy
In 2009, Nancy (along with our other female Ruby) made the eleven thousand kilometre journey from Mafunyane Game Farm in South Africa to the UK to join young male Monty at their new Oxfordshire home. It was hoped that, one day, they would successfully breed. That day finally came in 2013 when Nancy gave birth to the first Rhino calf in the Park's history - a female called Astrid (who is now part of a breeding programme at Colchester Zoo).
Meet Ruby
She is named after long-time friend of the Park, comedienne Ruby Wax. Ruby, like Nancy, was born in Mafunyane Game Farm in South Africa in 2006. Ruby is a great mum and has had two calves - Ian and Alan. Ian is at Torino Zoo with his half-brother John. Alan was born in 2017. You can identify Ruby by the notch in one of her ears.
Meet Alan
Alan will be 2 two years old in September this year. He is proving to be a high-spirited and boisterous youngster. Alan was named after the Park’s electrician who retired in 2017 after twenty-three years at the Park.
Meet Belle
She is our youngest member of the family born in October 2017. Due to a medical issue soon after birth, Belle became the first hand-reared Rhino calf in the Park’s history. You can read her story in Wild Talk 2019.
Win A Rhino Encounter
As part of Rhino Month, the Park is offering a Rhino Encounter for two adults (16 years and over) OR one adult and one child (aged 6 years and over). Win the chance to meet our Rhinos: Monty, Ruby, Nancy and calves Alan and Belle (the first Rhino to be hand-reared in the Park’s history). This is an incredible opportunity to get close to one of the world’s most iconic animals and experience first-hand exactly what is involved in looking after the second largest land mammal on earth.
How to enter: Answer this question: What is the collective noun for a group of Rhinos? Message us via Facebook or email: competitions@cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk (please include Rhino Encounter in the subject line).
The competition will close at 5pm on 31st August 2019. The winner will be notified by Cotswold Wildlife Park.
Thank you for supporting Rhino Month. If you would like to help us raise funds for Rhino conservation work in Africa, please click here. You can also make a donation at the daily Rhino talk throughout August at 2pm near the Rhino Paddock.