Zookeeper Doing Okay After Being Injured By Rhino

JACKSONVILLE, FL — A zookeeper injured by a rhino at the Jacksonville Zoo Tuesday morning is doing okay, the zoo said.

The zookeeper was injured during a routine training session around 9:40 a.m. In a press release, officials said that the zookeeper has notified the zoo that "everything is ok."

“We are extremely relieved and happy to know that our colleague is doing well," Tony Vechhio, executive director of the zoo, said in a statement. "We are grateful for the outpouring of support and concern during this difficult time.”

The zookeeper was injured by a rhino named Archie, a male southern white rhino. The zoo said the animal is "a long-term and loved member of the Zoo and is doing well."

The accident is being evaluated and the zoo says it is reviewing protocol to better understand the circumstances.

In January, a child was injured after entering the rhino yard at Brevard Zoo on New Year's Day.