This adorable video shows the moment a critically endangered rhino in a closed zoo got excited to see his keeper – and started running back and forth like a puppy.
The sweet video showed Crockett the black rhino’s ears twitch as he spotted zookeeper Kylee approaching – before he started gleefully bounding up and down around his enclosure.
The six-year-old southern black rhino was filmed launching his front feet off the ground, just like an excited puppy, as he followed Kylee, who was skipping along the other side of the fence in tandem.
The footage was filmed at Fort Worth Zoo in Texas, USA, on Sunday afternoon (April 5).
A spokesperson for the zoo said: “Crockett appeared to get excited as Kylee approached his exhibit on Sunday afternoon.
“As he raced around his habitat, we affectionately said he got the “zoomies.”
“Although the Zoo has been closed to the public since March 14, keepers and staff have been there every day feeding and caring for the animals.
“Crockett is the youngest of three critically endangered southern black rhinos here at the Zoo. He is playful and excels during training sessions with keepers.”
Fort Worth Zoo focuses largely on rhinoceros conservation, specifically the critically endangered southern black rhino.
Conservation achievements have been made in Africa in the form of increased anti-poaching efforts, population monitoring, introduction efforts, and translocations.
The zoo is part of a cooperative breeding program in order to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse population of this species to provide a hedge against extinction.
In 2018, two new bulls made their home in the Zoo’s African Savanna: Crockett and Travis – a nod to the Texas Alamo heroes.
Video by: Gabriella Petty
