Kentish Express Ashford & District
Workers get a hands-on experience with rhinos
Endangered black rhinos will not go hungry this winter thanks to help from a group of volunteers from Ashford.
The team from gas distribution company SGN headed to Port Lympne Reserve near Hythe to pick some nutritious treats for the herd of rhinos at the park.
There are 15 rhinos at the park, the largest herd in the UK, and they are critically endangered in the wild.
They put away around 50kg of food each day including fresh fruit and vegetables, hay, browse and grass.
The group of 12 employees from SGN spent a day at the park to hand-pick fresh leaves, known as browse, by chopping down branches.
They are then placed in airtight barrels to ferment before being frozen which retains their nutritional value.
It will be fed to the rhinos in the winter when the trees are bare.
It formed part of SGN’s community action programme which see employees help out a cause for a day each year. Emily Hearne, SGN commercial assistant, said: “Some of our colleagues helped paint the elephant enclosure at Port Lympne’s sister park earlier this summer and they enjoyed their day so much we thought we’d see whether Port Lympne Reserve needed any similar help.
“In the afternoon we met a female rhino called Rosie and fed her with carrots.
“I even got to give her a noserub – it was an experience I will never forget.”
Port Lympne’s animal director Adrian Harland added: “Every summer, we gather and store as many leaves as we can, so that during the winter months we can use them to supplement our animals’ diets.
“We’re always keen to hear from companies who can spare some time to come and work with us.”
For more information visit www.aspinallfoundation.org/portlympne