[Bindi] Hi everybody,
we are here for a very special reason today.
And that reason is beautiful Rhino, the Rhinoceros iguana.
Now, I'm going to work really hard at not crying.
But I'm going to immediately cry.
Rhino has been part of our Australia Zoo family
for as long as I can remember.
[Robert] He came in 1993.
Which was before either of us were even born.
Yes, it was like a year after Steve and I got married, we got Rhino.
[Bindi] That's amazing. [Terri] And he was born in 1980.
So, Rhino actually got a Guinness World Record
for being the oldest Rhinoceros iguana on record,
and- wow, has he just lived a life!
[Chandler] Truly and he was such a special part of the family too,
because he was the first animal
you saw when he went through the Australia Zoo gates.
So he greeted every single guest that came through our doors
and he was just such an icon here.
[Robert] With a lot of attitude.
[Chandler] Oh yeah...
I think to the very end, Rhino was just- he was pure, just sass
and absolute energy.
He was just so awesome.
Every time you went in with him, you know, even to the very end, he’d just run over.
He was so keen to eat his favorite hibiscus flowers.
I know. I loved some of the old photos of us as like little tiny kids with rhino.
One that stands out in my mind
is when I was about two years old and I'm looking at him, oh, my goodness,
and you see, the look on my face.
It was the first time I went in with him and he was way-
he's probably double the length that I was tall
and I just saw him as this absolute dinosaur and he was just
this big old grandpa that you just absolutely fell in love with.
He was just gorgeous
We have to thank our entire team for loving him so much.
Our reptiles team dedicated
countless hours to making sure that Rhino was healthy
and happy and living his best life here at Australia Zoo.
And he really did get all of the love and attention that he truly deserved.
And it is with a very heavy heart that we have to say goodbye to Rhino.
But we we didn't want to miss the opportunity
to be able to share him one last time with you guys.
Oh, I don't know why that makes me so sad.
[Bindi] It’s so hard... [Terri] It’s very sad.
[Bindi] It’s saying goodbye to a family member
[Robert] Part of the family that's been at the zoo for so long, too.
[Bindi] Yeah! [Robert] literally, for decades.
And it's just-
it's always one of those things that you think about, you reflect on it.
It is in a very real way the absolute and end of an era.
And as you say, the team put in so much time and effort,
and particularly during the end, to make sure that no matter what
his quality of life was, 100% every day.
He lived a brilliant life every single day and that's what you hold on to.
He wasn't just ancient, he was 42 years old, but he actually lived
every one of those 42 years happy and healthy and thriving.
And that's what you got to remember.
But as with anything, when you say goodbye to a member of the animal family
that's been with us for so long, it's very hard and it's
always so emotional, particularly when it's a lizard that you and Dad got-
[Bindi] It’s your buddy.
[Robert] so long ago, back in the day [Bindi] It’s so crazy.
[Terri] Okay, so- [Robert] But I think it’s important to honor him.
I know, But I have to tell you some of my favorite things about him.
So he's a ground dwelling lizard.
So that was cute because he couldn't climb.
So he'd be like, Oh, I can't climb, bring the food over here.
[Robert] Plus, look at those little jowels.
And then, yes, his little jowls were just like so squishy.
And then he's a rhino iguana because he has like a little horn on his nose
and like, the top of his head is soft,
you know, like, that was the boop spot.
[Bindi] The mushy spot. [Terri] So you always had to boop him
And if you started stroking his face
very softly and the top of his head,
he'd closed his eyes and put his face up to you.
And you could sit like that forever.
And then when you watch him run and grab something and crunch down on it,
I think maybe you shouldn't have been playing with him
when you were two years old because he has very strong jaws.
But we love him so much and I think as an endangered species, it was important
for everyone to get to know what a Rhinoceros iguana was
and is. And for him to have his very best life.
And we are going to be spreading his ashes today and behind us
is the African savanna where our larger rhinos live.
So we thought it was very fitting for Rhino, the Rhinoceros iguana, to...
have his memorial service with our beautiful rhinos behind us.
So it's really, really special,
And we feel very honoured to be able to share.
I agree, but you know what he used to do with Chandler?
[Bindi] What? [Terri] Chase him with intent.
[Chandler] Oh, yeah, he did.
There's something about me
he just wasn't sure about and just had me doing laps around him.
But he was such a special lizard.
And I love this spot for him too, because we have some giant hibiscus
just over there.
And that was some of his favourite food, too.
So, I think this is the perfect place for him to rest easy and say goodbye.
[Robert] Definitely.
[Bindi] Robert, I'm going to let you take the ashes.
[Robert] Feel like we need little rhino bagpipes.
[Bindi] I know...
[Bindi] Oh Rhino... [Robert] He’s an animal too special not to-
not to be shared and not to be remembered [Bindi] Definitely.
For sure...
All right.
[Steve] I've got some flowers for my big boy.
Have a look at the spikes on his back.
Look at those big, sharp spikes.
See how he's got his tail stiff as a board.
Don't they look like a dinosaur?
Especially with these spikes and that's all about looks.
He's a good looking bloke.
And the girls, the sheilas, they just love him.
They love our boy Rhino. Hey, so do I!
Good boy Rhino.