BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – A young male rhinoceros at New York’s Buffalo Zoo briefly left its primary enclosure Wednesday, the zoo said, prompting emergency protocols to be enacted at the facility.
However, the rhinoceros remained behind multiple public barriers, and at no time was there a threat to the public, a zoo spokesperson told News 4.
Mohan, a greater one-horned rhino, was spotted in an area adjacent to his enclosure around 11:55 a.m., according to the zoo. He was returned to his exhibit less than 10 minutes later.
Nevertheless, the zoo was required to activate its emergency protocols, including sealing off entry points and directing guests to secure indoor locations.
The spokesperson described the area Mohan entered as a back-of-house area, adding that he did not advance more than a few feet beyond where he should have been. Mohan did not enter another animal’s enclosure.
Mohan was not harmed in the incident, the zoo said, and he was safely returned to his exhibit for the rest of the day.
Mohan was born at the Buffalo Zoo in 2019. The public selected his name in a vote, choosing Mohan over Howie, Raj and Ollie. Mohan means “fascinating, charming and enchanting.”