Ajabu

Ajabu (born November 14, 2000) is a female southern white rhinoceros who formerly resided at the Birmingham Zoo's "Trails of Africa" exhibit. Her name is Swahili for "surprise."

She arrived at the zoo, along with her mother, Laptop, on November 4, 2008 from the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, Texas.

As part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan for white rhinoceroses, Ajabu, Laptop and Max were transferred together in December 2021 to join a larger herd kept at Brad Kelley's Center for the Conservation of Tropical Ungulates in Punta Gorda, Florida, where their chances for successful breeding would improve. In 2022 all three were relocated to Texas Christian University's African Rhino Protection Initiative in Colleyville, Texas.

References

• Cooper, Lauren B. (November 3, 2008) "Birmingham Zoo adds two rhinos." Birmingham Business Journal
• Thornton, William (November 3, 2008) "Birmingham Zoo prepares to add 2 southern white rhinos to African exhibit." The Birmingham News
• "Birmingham Zoo’s 3 white rhinos moved to private facility." (December 13, 2021) WBRC.com