Rare rhinos come to Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire’s animal conservation centre and zoological park Folly Farm is soon to be one of only five zoos in the country to house the critically endangered black rhino.

With fewer than 650 eastern black rhinos thought to be left in the wild, this new addition to Wales’ most popular family day out will not only be a treat for families visiting whilst on Tenby holidays, but also vital to the species’ survival.

The zoo is set to welcome three black rhinos, two females called Manyara and Mala from Chester Zoo and Magdeburg Zoo in Germany, and one male, called Nkosi from Port Lympne, later this year after having gained planning permission for a new enclosure to be built at the zoo.

“World class zoo”
Folly Farm's zoo curator, Tim Morphew, said of the news, "We were approached by the European Breeding Programme two years ago about the possibility of us housing a breeding group and it was an opportunity that was too good to miss.” He went on to add, “It is testament to our growing reputation for delivering world class zoo enclosures and exemplary husbandry”.

Folly Farm’s reputation as a great family day out has only strengthened in the 12 years it has been open, putting it among the best family days out in Pembrokeshire. This latest news not only further proves this status, but illustrates the great work that their conservation projects are doing for the animal kingdom.

The new black rhino enclosure looks to highlight this aspect to visitors in telling the story of the threats to the black rhino in the world and the conservation action that is being taken in an attempt to reverse this tragic reality. The rhinos are set to be welcomed to Folly Farm later this year, so families booking Pembrokeshire accommodation in the nearby area will have something really special to look forward to during their stay.

Image Credit: William Warby (flickr.com)

This content was written by Emily Bray. Please feel free to visit my Google+ profile to read more stories.