Lee Richardson Zoo providing rhino support

Garden City, Kan (WesternKansasNews.Com) – Staff at Lee Richardson Zoo are working diligently to treat Ayubu, a one-and-a-half -year-old black rhino, as he battles to recover from an illness. Mom, Johari, overcame the same challenge in past weeks.

Ayubu and Johari will be spending more time inside if necessary for their comfort while allowing staff to better support the little rhino.  Dad, Jabari, is being provided with some pre-emptive care and can usually be seen in the outdoor habitat.

Eastern black rhinos are native to eastern Africa (Kenya and Tanzania). They are listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They are the rarest of the three remaining black rhino subspecies, with approximately 740 left in 2018. Poaching for their horn continues to be their biggest threat. Conservation and management efforts have resulted in a slow increase in population numbers in recent years.