THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 23, 1994 TAG: 9407220083
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Maddry
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
I DON'T WANT TO make too much of this, but there's a zoo in Ohio that has given more weight to the slogan ``Virginia Is For Lovers'' than it can carry.
The weight is 3 tons. And the ponderous poundage is that of a rhino named Rufus.
He's a white rhino that has been hanging out at Paramount's Kings Dominion since the Virginia amusement park opened in 1974.
Rufus is definitely hornier than most rhinos. White rhinos have two horns.
Well, usually two horns, unless they are wearing funny hats, tossing confetti and tooting around Times Square on New Year's Eve waiting for the ball to drop.
If that idea sounds a little far-fetched to you, it is nothing compared to the Toledo's Zoo's expectations for Rufus.
The zoo staff think Rufus is just the rhino to get it on with a female rhino named Lulu and are paying more than 2,000 bucks to get him trucking toward her. A huge flatbed is expected to haul him to the zoo sometime next week.
According to the Toledo Blade, the Toledo Zoo wants Rufus up there because Lulu's mate has been looking for love in all the wrong places.
Lulu's been shacked up with a rhino named Sam, who has been getting bad press in Toledo because - after 25 years - they have not mated.
But there are high hopes for Rufus. ``We just hope Lulu will be in a receptive mood, and he's virile enough,'' said Tim French, the zoo's curator of mammals. ``There's never any guarantee in these situations.''
I'll say.
The Virginia Zoological Park in Norfolk also has a rhino named Rufus. In more than two decades our Rufus has not mated despite the best efforts of zookeepers here who have gone nearly bonkers in their desperate attempt to put Rufus in the mood for love. Their methods have included - I swear - the introduction of mirrors and live band music into the rhino area.
Yet, to this day our Rufus is as celibate as a Tibetan eunich.
I don't know whether Rufus at Kings Dominion can cut the mustard. You can be the judge. He certainly sounds like a character in a bad soap opera to me.
According to a spokeswoman for Kings Dominion, their Rufus has already ``done it.''
Fifteen years ago Rufus mated with a rhino named Sally at Kings Dominion and produced an offspring named Milton. Milton is touted as Exhibit A in a case being made for Rufus as one wild and crazy animal.
According to Kings Dominion spokeswoman Serena Berry, Rufus and his 4-ton son, Milton, do not get along well and have to be separated. Moreover Sally couldn't get along with Rufus either and split from him years ago.
Exhibit B in the case for Rufus as a rhino on the make is a rhino named Lucy. Berry says Lucy has been making goo-goo eyes at Rufus.
Berry says Rufus has been putting some moves on Lucy lately. Asked to clarify that remark, she said:
``Rufus and Lucy get along well and he has made romantic overtures.''
Asked how a rhino makes romantic overtures to another rhino Berry replied:
``I don't know that I can answer that with any certainty to be honest with you. . . and I'm not sure I would if I knew.''
Meanwhile, a place is being reserved for Rufus in the Toledo Zoo's African Savannah exhibit, where he will join Lulu and her ex-boyfriend Sam.
Zoo curator French conceded anything can happen. ``There's a good chance Sam will fight with the new arrival,'' French said. ``He could see it as a threat or invasion to his his space and his female companion.''
Will Sally fall in love with Milton, who is 15 years younger than she? Will Rufus rekindle the flame of love between Lulu and Sam? Will Sam beat the beegebus out of Rufus?
Stay tuned. by CNB