Rhino vs Chinese muntjac – Explanatory Note
Our viral video that is currently gaining popularity online is completely authentic and has not been generated by AI. It was filmed by our carnivore keeper, Kamil Guzik. The original version can be found on our Facebook page:
The female rhino, Marusia (czech. Maruška), born in Plzeň, Czechia, in 2014, came to Wrocław from Touroparc Zoo in France in 2019. A pair of Chinese muntjacs, the Muntjac Mom and the Muntjac Dad, have lived in the pavilion called Terai since 2012. That year, we opened the Terai pavilion dedicated to Asian fauna. The species presented there include Chinese muntjacs, the Indian rhino, pileated gibbons and Sri Lankan rusty-spotted cats.
Maruška shares her enclosure with gibbons and Chinese muntjacs, therefore she knows both muntjacs very well. They have separate off-exhibit holding areas and share an outdoor paddock. Living together in a multispecies exhibit is designed to resemble a natural habitat. This kind of shared ecosystem in zoos is standard practice nowadays.
Maruška treated the muntjac “attack” as a kind of fun. For him, however, the cause was more serious – he was trying to protect his territory, as the female muntjac was in heat. The muntjac underestimated the size of the female rhinoceros, which was a hundred times heavier.
Maruška is an Indian rhino, specifically the greater one-horned rhino. The Muntjac Dad is a Chinese muntjac. To be specific, there are also Indian muntjacs that naturally live in the same environment as the rhinos mentioned above, and both of these muntjac species are closely related. This enables both of our species – rhino and deers, to live together harmlessly. Marusia is very gentle and aware of her size.
For original video please write zoos spokesperson: w.lysek@zoo.wroc.pl or call +48 502 579 359