paired with their male tiger. Pridelands opened in 1997, including the new savannah exhibit for the giraffe, springbok, zebra and ostrich, the rhino exhibit and Lion Hill. A year later, it was extended to include a new hippopotamus exhibit and a chacma baboon exhibit. Hippopotamus, Snorkel, Faith and Fudge, were lifted by crane to their new exhibit. After years of success in breeding, Auckland Zoo decided to phase out the hippopotamus species by sending their surplus male hippos overseas and castrating their remaining male hippo, Fudge, in 1993. Due to the average life expectancy of the hippopotamus averaging 45–50 years, it will be a long phase out, covering at least the first quarter of the 21st century. Snorkel died in 2010 while Faith (40) and Fudge (28) both died in 2017. Male lions, Tonyi and Tombo, arrived from Philadelphia Zoo in 1998, followed by females, Kura and Sheeka in 1999 from the US and Australia respectively. They took up residence in the newly developed, Lion Hill. In 1999, the zoo's current rhino, Mandala, was joined by ten-year-old male, Kruger; 13-year-old female, Mzithi; and 18-month-old female, Mbili. These three rhino had been imported from South Africa to strengthen the genetics of the Australasian population of southern white rhinoceros. It was discovered Mzithi, already a mother to 18-month-old Mbili, was 10 months pregnant on arrival from South Africa. 2000s In April 2000, a ten-year-old Temminck's golden cat, Hari, arrived from Taronga Zoo. He was joined in January 2003 by a two-year-old female, Hoi-An, from Singapore Zoo. In March 2004, Hoi-An, gave birth to twin males, Datan and Hotan. Datan was sent to Hamilton Zoo in 2005 and following his death later that year, Hotan was sent as a replacement. Hoi-An gave birth again in January 2005 to a single male cub, Saigon. Stress caused Hoi-An to carry him in her mouth constantly, resulting in a wound to his neck. He was removed for handrearing and progressed well. Following Hari's death in 2006, a new pair, Kuching and Singha, arrived from the Adelaide Zoo in 2008. In June 2000, white rhino, Mzithi, gave birth to the zoo's first white rhino calf, and the first female white rhino born in New Zealand. The calf was named "Kito", a Swahili name meaning "precious." Following the unexpected death of Mzithi and Mbili, in September 2003, the orphaned Kito was sent to Hamilton Zoo in January 2004