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Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center Masterplan
Realm of the Rhino
Guardians of the Plains
Realm of the Rhino: Guardians of the Plains will be a fully immersive conservation experience coming in 2027, inspiring wonder, advancing global rhino conservation, and creating unforgettable connections between guests and wildlife.
A message from our CEO
The Last of His Kind
On March 19, 2018, the world lost Sudan, the last male northern white rhino on Earth. He was 45 years old.
With him went the future of an entire subspecies, millions of years in the making, brought to the edge in a single human lifetime. His death was not a natural ending. It was the result of relentless poaching and human indifference, and it was a warning.
But Sudan’s story is also the reason the Topeka Zoo is taking action today.
Sudan, the last male northern white rhino.
Photo courtesy Ol Pejeta Conservancy
“When Sudan passed away on March 19, 2018, many of us mourned. A species millions of years in the making had disappeared in an instant. At the Topeka Zoo, we believe the answer begins with connection, education, and inspiration that transforms into action.”
That hope begins with the black rhino, a species still fighting for survival, and one we can still protect. Realm of the Rhino: Guardians of the Plains is how we answer Sudan’s story.
Meet the Species
The Black Rhinoceros
With its impressive silhouette, pointed browsing lip, and surprisingly agile personality, the black rhino sparks curiosity in visitors of all ages. Native to eastern and southern Africa, this remarkable animal acts as a keystone browser — preventing overgrowth and keeping grasslands open for countless other species.
Rhinos and the great animals of the Kansas prairie play remarkably similar roles as architects of their ecosystems. Like the American bison that once shaped these plains, when rhinos decline, landscapes shift and biodiversity drops. Their story and ours are more connected than you might think.
By the numbers
A Species on the Edge
Population collapse between 1970 and the early 1990s due to poaching
Black rhinos remaining in the wild today. They are still critically endangered
Now confined to just 4 countries in fragmented, heavily protected areas
Every black rhino alive today exists because of intensive protection. Every loss still pushes the species closer to the brink.
What’s coming
A Vision in Two Phases
Realm of the Rhino: Guardians of the Plains will unfold in two transformational phases, beginning with a new home for black rhinos right here in Topeka and growing into one of the most immersive conservation experiences in the region.
Phase 1
The Habitat Opens
2027
- Outdoor savanna habitat with two expansive yards
- Varied terrain, shade structures, and mud wallows
- Renovation of the existing barn for black rhino care
- Guest viewing areas with respectful sightlines into the habitat
Phase 2
The Full Experience
2029
- New Rhino Care Building with indoor dayrooms and holding areas
- Giants Up Close rhino feeding encounters
- Frontline Guardians ranger station experience
- Rhino 2.0 conservation technology hub
- Expanded conservation support including rhino dog program
- Hippo habitat, insectarium, and guest amenities
The experience
Up Close & Personal
Phase 2 brings an entirely new level of connection between guests and the conservation story of the black rhino.
Giants Up Close
Stand just feet away during an intimate rhino feeding encounter, watching their unique finger-like upper lip grasp food. Year-round indoor dayroom viewing extends that connection in any weather, offering rare behind-the-scenes glimpses into their daily lives.
Frontline Guardians
Step inside a recreation of an anti-poaching ranger station. Live footage, soundscapes, and hands-on technology exhibits explore how AI, tracking systems, reproductive science, and rhino dogs are working together to protect black rhinos from extinction.
Fun facts
Rhino vs. Railroad: Power in Motion
While vastly different in scale, both the black rhino and a freight train embody raw, unstoppable force. One is a marvel of nature, the other of engineering — both demonstrate how power emerges when mass and motion collide.
Black Rhino
Freight Train
Building a legacy together
Sudan’s story does not have to end with extinction.
Realm of the Rhino: Guardians of the Plains is more than a new exhibit. It is a commitment to conservation, education, innovation, and the future of endangered wildlife. Together, we can turn it into a legacy of hope for all.
Questions about naming opportunities? Contact Christina Castellano at CCastellano@topekazoo.org
