Rhinoceroses are kept in zoos for conservation and public education. Their welfare depends on meeting their specific thermoregulatory, spatial, and — for some species — social needs.
Rhino welfare in zoos requires tailoring the environment to the species: white rhinos benefit from social groupings and large grassy enclosures, while black rhinos need carefully managed introductions due to their territorial temperament. Mud wallowing is not a behavioural luxury — it is a thermoregulatory necessity and serves important skin and parasite management functions. Without adequate wallowing access, rhinos can develop skin problems and be deprived of a strongly motivated behaviour. Foot health is a persistent challenge: captive rhinos on hard substrates develop abnormal hoof growth that requires regular veterinary attention. Positive reinforcement training for voluntary foot care, blood sampling, and ultrasound (important for reproductive monitoring) reduces the stress of necessary veterinary procedures.