Hemker Park & Zoo is located in Freeport Minnesota. What began as a simple dream in 1977 has grown to give families up close access to over 50 different species from around the globe. The mission of Hemker Park & Zoo (HPZ) is to highlight and enhance animals’ species and encourage environmental conservation through integrated partnerships and practical approaches to wildlife management. Guests can expect to learn from their visit about our world while enjoying the over 200 animals that call HPZ home. Hemker Park & Zoo has been voted the Best of Central Minnesota Out & About Family Recreation for 5 years in a row 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021!
As part of Hemker Park & Zoo’s dedication to Rhino conservation, the zoo has been hard at work consulting, researching, and 
planning its innovative and recently completed state of the art indoor Rhino facility and 2-acre outdoor yard.
Hemker Park & Zoo in Freeport, Minnesota is home to over 200 animals. Adding a rhino to HPZ’s zoo family is part of their mission to highlight and enhance animal species and encourage environmental conservation through integrated partnerships and practical approaches to wildlife management.
Hemker Park & Zoo is excited to welcome Tio to our zoo family with another male rhino coming later this year.
With rapid declining numbers of Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros in the wild, Hemker Park & Zoo is helping to prevent extinction of these vulnerable animals. All five living rhino species (Black, White, Greater One-Horned, Sumatran, and Javan) are in terrible jeopardy–from poaching, forest loss, and habitat conversion from human settlements encroaching on their habitats in Africa, Indonesia, and India.
Tio is a 2-year-old Greater One-Horned Rhino male that weighs in at over 2,000 pounds. Yet, he is still young and will weigh around 5,000 pounds when he is fully grown! Greater One-Horned rhinos are found throughout Northern India and Southern Nepal. These rhinos are usually solitary except for females with young. Their thick skin is an ashy gray and has an armor-like appearance due to thick folds and tubercles. Greater one-horned rhinos, also called Indian rhinos, are the second largest rhino species.
Tio is very curious, full of energy and loves the attention he gets from everyone. What better way to start your day off with a ton of fun meeting Tio at Hemker Park & Zoo in Freeport, MN! Come enjoy the great state of Minnesota by meeting Tio the first Greater One-Horned Rhino to call Minnesota home at Hemker Park & Zoo!
