Sabari the rhino set to leave Calgary Zoo in an effort to breed

He may be charming, chilled out, playful and affectionate, but Sabari, the zoo's one-horned rhinoceros can't find a mate, so officials are sending him to another facility in hopes of his genetics being passed along.

"I'll always remember him as one of the most slobbery, loveable animals I've ever met. He's literally very engaging and feeding him and interacting with him, you can always count on getting drooled on," Calgary Zoo curator Matt Korhonen told The Homestretch.

Now 13 years old, Sabari weighs in at about 4,400 lbs. and was brought to the Calgary Zoo from one in the U.S. as part of a Species Survival Plan.

"As far as rhinos go, he's probably one of the more agreeable rhinos, at least in the country right now," said Korhonen.

"Rhinos themselves are not necessarily affectionate… but with that said, Sabari is definitely very curious and playful."

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So just how do you move a rhinoceros across the country?

In a crate, of course.

"Think of your dog crate designed for a rhinoceros," Korhonen said.

"The crate is slated to arrive here later this week and we'll start crate training, so getting him used to it and comfortable and make it like second nature for him to be in there."

He's set to leave in mid-September, said Korhonen, however officials are not yet revealing where.

"It's 99 per cent [certain]," said Korhonen. 

"Until we're 100 per cent [certain] we don't necessarily divulge that information just in case something happens and we need to find him a different facility."

Along with trying to find him a mate, zoo officials are also moving Sabari to make room for the giant panda exhibit, which will be built in the Eurasia building and slated to open in 2018.

With files from The Homestretch