Twycross Zoo welcomes new eastern black rhino
After a call out for a tenant for their Rhino House, Twycross Zoo has welcomed a new arrival.
The attraction has welcomed a two year and 10 month old, male eastern black rhino, called Sudan as part of a vital European breeding programme.
After travelling over 1200km from Leipzig Zoo in Germany – the same zoo where Twycross Zoo’s female rhino lived for two decades - Sudan has been reunited with Nandi, who moved to the zoo over a year ago.
WATCH a video of his arrival here:
Neil Dorman, curator of Twycross Zoo, said: “We’re thrilled to finally welcome Sudan to Twycross Zoo and pleased that his arrival went so smoothly.
"There is a long way to go before Sudan and Nandi will be introduced to each other face to face but there is no denying the significance that this will have on the conservation of the species in the long term.
“We look forward to welcoming our visitors to come and say hello to Sudan throughout October.”
The species came close to being declared extinct in 2011 by the IUCN red list.
Due to illegal hunting and the demand for rhino horn rapidly increasing, the species suffered a 98 per cent reduction in the 20th century.
Dr Sharon Redrobe OBE, CEO of Twycross Zoo, said: “Our core mission as a conservation charity and modern zoo is to protect endangered species and we are pleased to be working within a European breeding programme, which consists of over 20 zoos and wildlife parks from around the continent, to help preserve the population and maintain genetic diversity of the Eastern Black Rhino.
“In what has been our most challenging year yet, Sudan is definitely the good news we’ve all been waiting for and we look forward to our visitors meeting him from this Friday.”
The midlands zoo is hosting a Rhino Preview Event for its supportive Members’ from 10am this Friday to 12pm on Saturday, where they will get exclusive access to see Sudan in his new home.
For more information, click here.
