Florida Zoo's 'Ridiculous' Plan Saves Wild Rhino's Eyesight in Africa

Animal behaviorists partner with Palm Beach Zoo to treat endangered white rhino with parasitic eye infection.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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Animal behaviorists from the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society in Florida traveled to Zimbabwe to help an endangered white rhino named Thuza who was suffering from a life-threatening, parasitic eye infection. They developed a plan to coax Thuza into a tight space, desensitize him to humans touching and squirting water on his face, and eventually administer eye drops to treat the infection. The plan, which was initially considered 'ridiculous', ended up being successful in saving Thuza's eyesight.

Why it matters

The southern white rhino is listed as near threatened, with only around 16,000 animals living in the wild. Poaching and habitat loss remain significant threats, so saving individual rhinos like Thuza is crucial for the conservation of the species. This case highlights the innovative and collaborative efforts between zoos, conservation groups, and local communities to protect endangered wildlife.

The details

The Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society partnered with the Community Rhino Conservation Initiative and Imvelo Safari Lodges in Zimbabwe to help Thuza, a male white rhino suffering from a parasitic eye infection. Animal behaviorists Thad and Angi Lacinak traveled to Zimbabwe and developed a plan to coax Thuza into a tight space using his favorite foods, then desensitize him to human touch and water spraying on his face. Within a week, they were able to administer eye drops to Thuza, and by the end of two weeks, they had trained the local anti-poacher scouts to continue the treatment.

  • In August, animal behaviorists from the Palm Beach Zoo traveled to Africa to help the endangered white rhino.
  • Within a week, the team was able to start administering eye drops to the rhino named Thuza.
  • By the end of two weeks, the team had trained the local anti-poacher scouts to continue the daily eye drop treatment.

The players

Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society

A zoo and conservation organization located in West Palm Beach, Florida that partnered with groups in Zimbabwe to help save an endangered white rhino.

Imvelo Safari Lodges

A safari lodge company in Zimbabwe that is part of the Community Rhino Conservation Initiative, which works to reintroduce southern white rhinos to communal lands.

Thuza

A male white rhino living in Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park who was suffering from a life-threatening parasitic eye infection.

Thad and Angi Lacinak

Founders of Precision Behavior, an animal behavior consulting firm, who traveled to Zimbabwe to work with the anti-poacher scouts and develop a plan to treat Thuza's eye infection.

Daniel Terblanche

A security manager with Imvelo Safari Lodges who initially thought the plan to treat Thuza's eye was a 'completely ridiculous idea'.

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What they’re saying

“Believe me, we didn't think of it; it was a completely ridiculous idea to us. But without trying all of the things that we could to rectify that situation, we would have been in trouble, I think.”

— Daniel Terblanche, Security Manager, Imvelo Safari Lodges

“This rhino had bleeding eyes. He was rubbing his eyes. And I was looking at a potential where this guy was gonna lose his eyesight. And this is in a pilot project that's got fantastic vision for a future for conservation throughout Africa.”

— Mark Butcher, Managing Director, Imvelo Safari Lodges

“With this few animals in this location in Africa, it was essential that we save all of them. So when they called and said, Thuza is going to lose his eye, a blind rhino is a dead rhino. So no matter what it took, we were going to go over there and try.”

— Angi Lacinak, Co-Founder, Precision Behavior

What’s next

The local anti-poacher scouts will continue administering the eye drops to Thuza and the other rhinos in the conservation program on a daily basis to ensure their eye health and survival.

The takeaway

This collaborative effort between a U.S. zoo, safari lodges, and local conservation groups in Africa demonstrates the innovative and determined approaches needed to protect endangered species like the southern white rhino. By leveraging expertise and resources across continents, they were able to save an individual rhino's eyesight and bolster the overall conservation efforts in the region.