White rhinos arrive at Gulf Breeze Zoo

GULF BREEZE, Fla (WALA) - Many people turned out sunday to see the newest addition to the Gulf Breeze Zoo.

After years of waiting, two beautiful and endangered female white rhinos are enjoying all their spacious new home has to offer.

"It's super exciting. It's one of those things that take your job to the next level and you're proud of it," said Tenielle Welch, assistant zoo curator.

The rhinos weigh well over a 1,000 pounds, but Welch said they will end up weighing between 4,000 to 6,000 pounds.

"Kids are loving it! They're always screaming and saying, 'It's a rhino, it's a rhino!'" said Welch.

"I love them," said Sean Walker, a young zoo visitor.

Adults were fond of the rhinos, too.

"They're really awesome animals. I wish we could have got a closer look at them," said Suzanne McCloud.

Welch said while there's always a possibility of problems with wild animals in captivity, the rhinos have adjusted and done very well.

"It's gone extremely smooth. I couldn't have asked for it to be any better. They settled in the back for a couple weeks, and when we brought them in here they walked around a minute, found the first mud-hole, rolled around in it and have been happy ever since," Welch said.

The zoo expects to get two more rhinos, a male and a female.