Mephenzi, the new rhinoceros that recently arrived from France, slammed into a car in the Safari - Ramat Gan Zoological Center on Wednesday afternoon; a mother and her two children were sitting in the car at the time of the rhino's attack. Safari officials report that the mother and children are safe, and that the car sustained damages.
Mephenzi is a 10-year-old rhinoceros who arrived at Safari a few months ago from the Lille Zoo in France as part of the species conservation program of the European Association of Zoos (EAZA). There are several rhinoceroses currently living there.
Safari officials said that since Mephenzi is not used to vehicles he may have been stressed and that is why he attacked the car.
2 View gallery
Mephenzi the rhinoceros arrived at Safari a few months ago from the Lille Zoo in France
(Photo: Shai Perry)
Following the incident, the Safari staff placed Mephenzi in a large enclosure separated from the savannah area in order to reassure him, and said that such an incident would not happen again.
The hypothesis is that the rhino was bothered by the vehicle, since it stopped for the children to look at him.
"We are sorry for the experience that the mother and her children went through. They were treated at the Safari clinic, Safari staff reassured them and accompanied them," the Safari said in a statement.