Round the horn! Rhinos on their way to Yorkshire as wildlife park announces expansion

The Yorkshire Wildlife Park is to become home to a number of critically endangered black rhinos after announcing a £3.6m expansion and improvement plan for 2016.
By The Newsroom
Published 11th Feb 2016, 13:26 BST
Updated 11th Feb 2016, 14:40 BST
An artist's impression of the new facility at Yorkshire Wildlife ParkAn artist's impression of the new facility at Yorkshire Wildlife Park
An artist's impression of the new facility at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

A spokesman for the park in Doncaster says it plans to bring black rhino to their new reserve, which will be dedicated to the animals whose numbers have fallen due to illegal poaching and changing habitat.

The population of black rhinos declined by 96 per cent to less 3,000 from a devastating period of poaching for their horns which are used to make ornamental crowns, cups and ceremonial daggers as well as for herbal medicine.

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One sub-species of black rhino was declared extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2011 but a global conservation programme has helped nurse black rhino numbers to around 5,000.

An artist's impression of the new facility at Yorkshire Wildlife ParkAn artist's impression of the new facility at Yorkshire Wildlife Park
An artist's impression of the new facility at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

It was reported last year that an application requesting permission to build two enclosures to hold the critically endangered black rhino at the park has now been submitted to Doncaster Council.

The Yorkshire Wildlife Park (YWP) Foundation will be launching projects to assist conservation effort. The current African Plains will be completely redeveloped and expanded in a £1.6m project to create a walk through Safari experience featuring a new rhino house and integrated reserves. It is hoped the new area will open this summer.

The work will involve larger interlinked reserves to allow more animals to range around. These will include zebras, ostrich, eland and lechwe antelope , ankole cattle and giraffes.

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Further expansion will see a new camel reserve adjacent to a new feature Timberplay outdoor play area as well as a new café with 120 covers serving drinks and hot snacks.

An artist's impression of the new facility at Yorkshire Wildlife ParkAn artist's impression of the new facility at Yorkshire Wildlife Park
An artist's impression of the new facility at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

The current Safari Café, is also being extended with new conservatory and kitchen, while there are also plans for a new toilet block and wider paths. Two new outlets in the Safari Village shopping area will also be created.

Chief executive officer John Minton said: “The visitor experience will be vastly improved by this major investment. We are constantly looking at ways to create the best environment for our animals and for the public to enjoy seeing them close-up.”

The black rhino, which used to be native across wide areas of Africa, can measure 6ft tall at the shoulder and weigh in at 3,000lbs, roughly the same weight as a family estate car. The YWP will be only the seventh zoo in the UK to provide a home for the species,

Related topics:Yorkshire Wildlife ParkRhinosYorkshireDoncasterDoncaster Council