Diceros bicornis michaeli
IUCN Status: Critically endangered
Port Lympne is currently home to 14 Eastern black rhinoceros, 5 bulls and 9 cows.
Very sadly, its numbers are very low in the wild due to poaching for its horn.
We are part of an international breeding programme for the black rhino and are proud to say were the most successful breeder of the black rhino in the UK.
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So far 8 rhino have been sent to protected reserves in Africa from Port Lympne in connection with The Aspinall Foundation.
1 male called Bwana Kidogo born at Port Lympne went to Thaba Thola reserve in 1996 where he became their main breeding bull.
Kivu and Tana, both cows born at Port Lympne, went to Thaba Thola, South African in 2004. Kivu and Tana have had 9 calves.
Limpopo and Laikipia, a young bull and cow, born at Port Lympne went to Grumeti Reserve in Tanzania in 2007. Unfortunately Limpopo was killed in a fight with a bull elephant in 2009. Laikipia is still doing well but has not produced a calf yet.
Monduli and Grumeti, a young bull and cow, born at Port Lympne and Zawadi, a young cow born at Berlin zoo, all went back to a reserve in Tanzania in 2012. Over the past couple of months both Zawadi and Grumeti have given birth to their first calves.
Our work here at Port Lympne is directly helping conseration in Africa. It’s something we’re very proud of.
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We’re home to over 700 animals, including the largest herd of black rhino in the UK, western lowland gorillas, the only giraffe in Kent, tigers, lions, leopards, bears and so much more!
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