KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) The Kansas City Zoo has a special rhino that’s kept hidden from the public.
The Kansas City Star reports that an eastern black rhinoceros named Imara spends all day inside a barn or a small shaded pen because of a skin condition that makes it dangerous to be in the sun.
Kirk Suedmeyer is the zoo’s head veterinarian. He says Imara has a loss of melanin granules in the basal layer of her skin, making her vulnerable to direct sunlight.
Zoo keepers noticed one of Imara’s nostrils turned pink when she was 2 years old. Suedmeyer says the pink coloring progressed to her limbs and a biopsy revealed her condition.
Animal manager Katie Muninger calls Imara a “special rhino,” saying zookeepers have a special bond with her from socializing daily.
