Milwaukee County Zoo just cut the ribbon on its newest heavyweight attraction, the Ladish Co. Foundation Rhino Care Center, a $22.6 million showpiece that officially brings Eastern black rhinos back to the park. The facility, the final phase of the zoo's long-running Adventure Africa project, stretches across roughly 61,000 square feet and blends indoor habitat space with roomy outdoor yards so visitors can spot the animals in every season. The new resident duo, Zuri and Kianga, arrived last fall and have been paired under a Species Survival Plan recommendation.
Costs, timeline and funding
The Ladish Co. Foundation Rhino Care Center carries a $22.6 million price tag, covered primarily by Milwaukee County with nearly $7.4 million contributed by the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. Construction ran from April 2024 through September 2025, and the gleaming new facility replaces a rhino building that dates back to the 1950s, according to the Milwaukee County Zoo.
Design that puts animals first
Inside the footprint, the center packs in the Robert Dohmen Hippo Indoor Haven, an indoor rhino habitat, and flexible yards that can also host zebras and red river hogs, giving guests a better shot at animal sightings year round. Designers incorporated soft-substrate flooring to protect rhino feet, rock-faced enrichment walls and a dedicated breeding suite, while the outdoor yards alone cover more than 36,000 square feet. Project details are available from the construction team and local coverage by Gilbane Building Company and OnMilwaukee.
Breeding, conservation and SSP
Zuri and Kianga were paired in Milwaukee under the Eastern black rhino Species Survival Plan, a coordinated effort to manage genetics and boost breeding success in human care. The Eastern black rhino is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, and there are roughly 55 eastern black rhinos in North America living in human care across about 27 institutions. The pairing is designed to support long-term conservation goals, as outlined by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Community celebration and outreach
To show off the new outdoor yards, the zoo hosted a "Go Wild for Rhinos" celebration on Saturday, featuring behind-the-scenes tours, zookeeper Q&As and fundraising for the International Rhino Foundation, according to a zoo press release posted by Urban Milwaukee. Visitors told WISN Channel 12 that the upgraded viewing areas make the rhinos easier to see throughout the year.
With the Rhino Care Center now open, the zoo closes the book on its Adventure Africa capital work and adds a conservation-focused anchor that officials say will both educate guests and feed into global rhino recovery efforts. The center serves as the final phase in a more than $50 million investment in Adventure Africa over several years, as reported by OnMilwaukee.
