Yorkshire Wildlife Park: Tributes paid to Europe’s oldest Eastern Black Rhino, Jasper, who died age 33

Yorkshire Veteran Jasper, 33, was put down on Thursday after succumbing to old age, the wildlife park said.

Jasper was born at Dvur Kralove Zoo in Czechia on September 13, 1991. He was transferred to Zoo Leipzig in 1993 and Zoologischer Garten Berlin in 1999, before moving to Yorkshire

Kyrie Birkett, Section Head of Hoofstock, said: “Jasper has acted as a true symbol of hope for his incredible species.

“He has been a massive part of our team since his arrival with us in 2018. He was a huge character and a favourite animal for so many of us. We all love him to pieces and our hearts are truly broken.

“Jasper loved food, attention, drinking from the hosepipe, sleep and watching diggers and tractors. We have so many fond memories of him “helping” us with our tasks or getting involved in conversations just by standing and staring at us with a big smile on his face. He was a huge character, and we will miss him dearly.

“Although we are deeply saddened by his passing, we are very proud to have been able to house Jasper over the past seven years alongside our other black rhinos Najuma, Makibo and Rocco, who is now one year old.”

Yorkshire Wildlife Park’s Director of Animals, Dr Charlotte MacDonald, explained that in his 33 years Jasper sired 11 offspring – 5 males and 6 females.

It was just earlier this year that Jasper became a great-great-grandfather to Billie, born at Zoo Krefeld.

The Yorkshire veteran had descendants across Europe and even as far away as Japan.

Jasper’s entire skeleton will be preserved and displayed at the National Museum of Scotland for education and research purposes.

Dr MacDonald said this is a “very fitting legacy for Jasper, who was widely valued for his input to the black rhino breeding programme”.

His DNA is being preserved to help protect this critically endangered species, following his years of vital contributions to the conservation breeding programme.

Nature’s SAFE’s is a cryopreservation service that works with zoos to bank genetic information from endangered species at risk of extinction.

Its bank of live reproductive cells, tissues, and skin can provide science for endangered breeding programmes and could be used in the future to facilitate species restoration.

Dr MacDonald added: “With his samples at Nature Safe’s biobank, Jasper will be able to continue contributing to vital conservation works and helping to protect the endangered species.”

Black Rhinoceros have been illegally poached to the brink of extinction due to the demand for their horn, numbers have declined by over 90 per cent over the last three generations.