The cake was absolutely delicious.
At least that was the takeaway, if Jericho’s reaction to it was to be believed.
Jericho is an 18-year-old white rhinoceros that calls Camp Verde’s Out of Africa Wildlife Park home.
“We don’t know exactly when his birthday is,” said Courtney Palmer, who manages the hoofed animals at the park.
That being said, Jericho is a September baby so the park decided to celebrate his birthday Sunday, Sept. 21, a date that also happened to be World Rhino Day.
Well, technically, Sept. 22 is World Rhino Day, but rhinos have never been well-known for their ability to read calendars.
Jericho has no time for dates, he was too busy scarfing down his birthday cake made of alfalfa and molasses, topped with a single candle made from a carrot.
Jericho, a white rhino, is part of a success story, Palmer said.
“Around the turn of the [20th] century, there were only around 200,” Palmer said. “Now there are more than 20,000.”
All rhino species haven’t been so lucky, however.
Among five recognized rhinoceros species, the Javan and Sumatran rhinos are severely endangered.
Palmer said some estimates point to them becoming extinct by 2026.
“Poaching is the biggest threat,” Palmer said.
Conflicts in Africa and Asia also threaten the animals.
To read the full story, see the Wednesday, Sept. 24, edition of The Camp Verde Journal.
