Milwaukee County Zoo rhino, hippo exhibit renovation breaks ground

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee County Zoo broke ground Thursday on a major renovation in hopes of bringing rhinoceroses back. 

A ceremony was held at the zoo's Adventure Africa exhibit. It will feature a new indoor and outdoor home for rhinos and a new indoor recreation room for hippopotamuses. Milwaukee County and the Zoological Society of Milwaukee are funding the more than $23 million project.

"I truly believe that this is one of our very unique assets that we have in our community, and we need to make sure that it continues to remain accessible for everyone to experience – and not just those who live in Milwaukee County, but those all across southeast Wisconsin and the entire state of Wisconsin," said County Executive David Crowley.

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The project is slated to be finished in fall 2025. The zoo hopes to acquire eastern black rhinos for the exhibit once it is built.

Right now, the Milwaukee County Zoo has no rhinos. Its one living rhinoceros was moved to another zoo, and the building the rhinos used to call home is about 70 years old. Visitors would look through glass to see the animals behind metal cages.