Rare Newborns Charm Guests At Six Flags Wild Safari

Jackson, NJ -- Adorable and playful newborns are enchanting guests at the Six Flags Wild Safari animal park. This 350-acre, drive-thru wildlife preserve features 11 unique sections brimming with 1,200 exotic animals from around the world, and celebrates the introduction of these rare, new babies.

This summer, Wild Safari's Kwanzaa, a 6,000 lb. southern white rhino, gave birth to a son. The Safari team named the new rhino "Hurricane" in honor of the opening of the all-new Six Flags Hurricane Harbor water park. Hurricane, Kwanzaa'a sixth baby, will help boost a world rhino population that is currently on the endangered species list.

African hunters' search for rhino horns has drastically reduced the world rhinoceros population. This makes the already difficult process of breeding rhinos in captivity even more critical. However, the Wild Safari's successful breeding of over 20 white rhino calves throughout the past 27 years ensures the African rhino's survival for generations to come.

A rhino's gestation period typically lasts 16 months. The Safari staff paid careful attention to 31-year-old Kwanzaa throughout the process. Rhino mothers are very protective, so Kwanzaa continues to nurture her 100 lb. baby very carefully. But the natural playfulness and energy of Hurricane will be tough to handle when he reaches his full-grown weight of over 8,000 lbs! Guests will find Hurricane and Kwanzaa in the elephant/rhino section of the preserve.

On the very same day, the Safari also welcomed the birth of a white-tailed gnu calf. These births add to an already splendid year at the Wild Safari, which welcomed two new giraffes, six new bison calves and three dromedary camel calves to the family for 2000. This camel trio includes a very rare, all-white female. While the camel will eventually shed her white fur for a typical tan camel coat, her birth still marks a first for the Wild Safari.

Guest will find these adorable babies and other exotic creatures at the Six Flags Wild Safari animal park. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. until September 30, and weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through October, the Wild Safari is the largest drive-thru animal preserve outside of Africa.