Horny Satara managed to break free from his wood and steel enclosure at Monarto Zoo, Adelaide as he tried to get to a nearby pair of female rhinos.

But unable to reach the target of his affections he roamed around the open range zoo for over four hours.

Zoo staff used a helicopter to locate the 18-year-old white rhinoceros before shooting him three times with tranquiliser dart and led him to a new, more secure, enclosure.

Despite the trashed enclosure the escape is good news for keepers, Satara is part of a breeding program for endangered rhinos who are normally notoriously difficult to mate.