Our next example of odd pairings in the animal world comes from the Western Plains Zoo in New South Wales, Australia.

Umquali is two-ton white rhinoceros that recently gave birth to Nadira in April.  Nadira currently weighs around 450 pounds.  She is the sixth calf born in the zoo since a breeding program began in 2003 from rhinos brought from Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Nadira has no trouble feeding when the hay is brought for the herd.

“In a feeding frenzy Nadira pushes the other rhinos around and usually gets away with it. But once they object, Umquali the mother steps in.  Her mother is a very dominant female in the herd and Nadira uses that to her advantage,” says zookeeper Kevin Milton.

However, the aggressiveness relents when a particular visitor arrives.

Robby the rabbit, as he is called, is a part of a colony of rabbits that live in the area.  He has learned, after a few cautious visits during rhino feeding time, that the large herbivores mean him no harm.

After the morning feeding occurs and the rhinos have had their share of hay, Robby makes his way through the enclosure’s fence and joins Umquali and Nadira in a meal.

Robby isn’t so interested in the hay as much as the seed that falls to the ground.

Milton said “It’s quite a sight to see this little furry thing tucking into food beside the rhino with its tough skin.”

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

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