How Kendi the White Rhino Got Her Sight Back at Disney's Animal Kingdom
Veterinarians at Disney's Animal Kingdom performed a rare cataract surgery on Kendi, a 27-year-old white rhino, partnering with a University of Florida ophthalmologist. Disney's costuming team even crafted a custom protective eye mask for her recovery — and Kendi is now back on the savanna with restored vision.
A 27-year-old white rhino named Kendi can see clearly again after veterinarians at Disney's Animal Kingdom performed an exceptionally rare cataract surgery — a years-in-the-making procedure that brought together vets, keepers, an outside ophthalmologist, and even Disney's costuming team.
Key Details
- Patient: Kendi, a 27-year-old white rhino who has lived at the park her entire life
- Condition: Cataracts in her right eye, caught early during routine wellness exams
- Procedure: Rare cataract removal performed in the rhino barn at Disney's Animal Kingdom
- Partners: Disney's Animals, Science and Environment team and an ophthalmologist from the University of Florida
- Aftercare: A custom protective eye mask designed by Disney's costuming team over two years
How the Care Team Spotted the Problem
At Disney's Animal Kingdom, the Animal Care team knows its animals so well that even the smallest change can speak volumes. When keepers noticed a slight cloudiness in the right eye of Kendi, they flagged it right away. For a rhino of her size, vision — along with a strong sense of smell and hearing — plays an important role in how she moves through her environment, finds food, and interacts with her world.
Those quiet signals prompted a closer look. Through careful observation and trust built over years of daily care, veterinarians identified the issue early: cataracts, a condition that clouds the eye's lens and can lead to blindness if left untreated.
A Rare and Highly Complex Procedure
Surgically removing a cataract in a white rhino is exceptionally rare and highly complex, requiring extensive planning, innovation, and collaboration. Dr. Betsy, a veterinarian with Disney's Animals, Science and Environment, was involved in every step of the preparation.
"I've planned for this one procedure more than any other in my life. It's been one of the most rewarding moments of my career. The level of innovation pushed us to think differently — and ultimately raised the bar for what's possible in veterinary care." — Dr. Betsy
The first stage was no small undertaking. For several years, the husbandry team worked to train Kendi for voluntary eye drops. Through patience and trust-based care, she became comfortable receiving the essential medication up to four times a day — preparation that proved invaluable when the time came to perform the surgery in the rhino barn.
Dr. Betsy partnered with an ophthalmologist from the University of Florida, one of Disney's long-standing collaborative veterinary partners, to adapt advanced surgical techniques for one of the world's largest land mammals.
"While cataract surgery is routine in humans, performing this type of procedure on an animal — especially one as large as a white rhino — presents extraordinary challenges. In Kendi's case, the potential to restore her vision made every complexity worth navigating." — Dr. Caryn Plummer, ophthalmologist, University of Florida
The surgery was a success — but the care didn't stop there.
A Uniquely Disney Approach to Healing
Kendi's recovery called for continuous monitoring and creative solutions. In a true cross-functional collaboration, Disney's costuming team spent two years designing and crafting a custom, specially tailored protective eye mask. This one-of-a-kind piece of aftercare equipment protected her healing eye while still allowing the necessary post-operative eye-drop treatments.
"This was definitely outside the scope of what our team is usually asked to do. But nothing about this project was ordinary. We worked closely with the Animal Care teams to design a fully custom solution — one that suited Kendi's anatomy and supported her comfort and recovery every step of the way." — Tracy, costuming manager
That collaborative spirit was a reminder that caring for animals at Disney is never one-dimensional. Whether veterinarians, keepers, designers, or engineers, people from across the company brought their talents together when it mattered most.
Why This Matters for Conservation
Kendi's recovery is about more than restoring sight to one animal — it's about protecting a species. White rhinos are near threatened in the wild, and safeguarding the health of individuals like Kendi supports broader conservation work, including efforts backed by the Disney Conservation Fund that protect rhinos and their habitats across Africa and Asia.
The journey is also an opportunity to educate and connect. Dr. Betsy and Dr. Plummer plan to share the surgical technique and key learnings so rhinos around the world may benefit, while Kendi's story shows families how caring for one animal can inspire the protection of wildlife everywhere. Today, Kendi is back on the savanna at Animal Kingdom with clearer vision and renewed confidence — proof of what's possible when teams work together with science and a deep commitment to the animals in their care.