Time flies when you’re a baby rhino! Ozzy is already six weeks old and ready to take on the world.

“While Ozzy is slowly becoming more independent, he still doesn’t venture too far from mom and follows her cues. Ozzy is very curious about his caretakers and enjoys coming up to say hello and greatly enjoys receiving belly scratches. The keepers have started working with him to get kiss prints and he is quickly following in the footsteps of his older brother, Otto, with his artistic abilities. He has started exploring the wallow with his feet, but we have yet to see him fully take a roll in the mud.

We provide our animals with choice and control over where they go in their habitats, if they are visible to guests on tour and if they want to interact during animal encounters; while we can’t guarantee anything, if Eesha is comfortable with it (as determined by her caretakers), guests may be able to say hi to Ozzy during our rhino encounters. These up close and personal experiences really allow our guests to appreciate these incredible creatures and we hope through these interactions, our rhinos inspire them to support conservation of rhinos in the wild.”

~Rhino Keeper Erika Defer⁠

We can’t wait to see Ozzy’s personality continue to develop as he gets older. Be sure to follow us on social media for the latest cute videos and pictures!

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Starting out, we have the newest member of our ring-tailed lemur troop, Arlo.

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At Safari West, we are thrilled to introduce our newest (and furriest) little bundle of happiness—Arlo, a baby ring-tailed lemur!

Born to his attentive and loving mother, Betty, Arlo has already stolen our hearts. His bright eyes peek out curiously from her fur, his tiny hands grip tightly as she leaps from branch to branch, and his wobbly movements as he explores are enough to make anyone smile.

Ring-tailed lemurs, classified as an Endangered species by the IUCN, face challenges in the wild due to habitat loss and other threats. That makes every new birth a reason to celebrate—and Arlo is no exception. But beyond the conservation importance, his arrival is a simple and beautiful reminder of why we cherish the natural world. In times when the world feels uncertain, watching a baby lemur begin his journey is a small but meaningful source of happiness.

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We still don’t know whether the baby is a male or female yet, so for the time being, they’ve been given the nickname: Lil Beeb.

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In the early hours of that morning, animal caregivers discovered Safiri shivering, wet, and splayed. The animal team quickly assisted the calf by helping her position her legs appropriately and started a brief exam where they found her body temperature had plummeted to a dangerously low 92°F, far below the normal 101°F for giraffes. Initial blood tests revealed infection and critically low glucose levels.

Dr. Emily Cehrs, staff veterinarian for Safari West, working closely with Animal Collection Manager Nikki Smith and Animal Collection Assistant Manager Erika Defer, quickly developed a comprehensive treatment plan. They used blankets and a Bair Hugger warming system to stabilize Safiri’s temperature while administering IV fluids and antibiotics to combat infection and low glucose levels.

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Sound the (rhino) horns! Safari West is overjoyed to announce the birth of our first-ever Southern white rhino baby born to mother, Eesha, and father, Ongava.

The calf was born on Sunday, April 2nd at 5:30 pm PST. We feel fortunate and honored to contribute to the growth of global rhino populations and aid in conserving this magnificent protected species.

Our extraordinary animal care staff report the bouncing baby rhino calf is strong, nursing, and is bonding well with Mom. Safari West Veterinarian Dr. Emily Cehrs estimates the baby weighs around 100 pounds. We have not named the new baby yet!

This is a momentous event for us as the calf is the first of its species to be born at Safari West, Needless to say, it is a big deal to Eesha as well! She immediately showed good mothering instincts and has been attentive to her calf.

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