A baby Rhino is having the best time playing in the mud. To us, it looks like she’s having a silly time, but she’s actually learning an important skill.
On February 29, 2024, the TikTok account for Zoo Atlanta shared a video of their newborn rhino, and we learned something new watching it. Take a look!
@zooatlUnbothered. Moisturized. Happy. In her lane. Focused. Flourishing. #rhinobaby #rhinoceros #rhino #babyrhino #babyanimals
In the short 28-second video, we meet a baby girl Rhino, who is out in the mud enclosure with her mom.
Related: Baby Rhino at the Oregon Zoo Goes Outside for First Time and Has the Sweetest Response
Mom Rhino is standing around doing her own thing while the baby Rhino is running through the mud, rolling in the mud, and appearing the have the absolute most fun time getting all dirty.
But there’s more going on here than it appears at first. She’s busy practicing a very important skill.
“Baby girl is learning to wallow,” the video explains. “Wallowing is an important natural behavior that helps rhinos cool off in the heat.”
This interesting Rhino practice “provides their skin with a layer of protection from the sun and insect bites,” the video explains, which sounds like a really good idea.
And then it acknowledges that although Rhino skin “may look super tough,” that’s not necessarily the case. “It’s actually quite sensitive,” the video notes, “they can even get sunburns.”
The video ends with the baby Rhino having even more fun with their new skill. “And as you can probably tell from baby girl, wallowing is also just another social behavior!” the video concludes.
“Unbothered. Moisturized. Happy. In her lane. Focused. Flourishing,” the video’s caption reads.
In the comments, people shared their feelings about this interesting skill Rhinos learned when they were young.
“I could frolic all day with this little hellion!” one commenter shared.
“Quick! While mom’s not looking!” joked another.
“Her zoomies are everything,” shared one TikTok viewer.
“OMG, I just love her!!” admitted someone else.
Interesting facts about baby rhinos
According to Animal Corner, there are a lot of interesting things about baby Rhinos.
The first is that they are cuddly and playful. “Baby Rhinos love to play, both in the wild and captivity,” the website explains. “Play is important for baby rhinos to develop not only bonds but also motor skills, muscles, agility, and healthy skin.”
When Rhinos are born, they’re approximately the size of an adult human. “The average Rhino baby weighs around 88 to 140 lbs, and they cry when they need something that’s not being addressed.
“Baby rhinos are known to make various sounds, particularly around feeding,” the website explains. “They will make a sort of ‘cooing’ sound when they are hungry, but when their milk runs out and they are not quite satisfied, they are also known to cry.”
Rhino babies stay with their mom until they’re around three years old, and they go through their whole childhood without knowing their dad.
“The overall life span of a rhino averages between 25 – 40 years,” the website shares. “In captivity, they live a little longer because they are more protected – usually to about 45 years old.”
We’re looking forward to watching more of this baby girl as she grows!
