Yorkshire Wildlife Park unveils black rhino bid

There are said to be fewer than 4,800 black rhinos living in the wild

A wildlife park has announced plans to build an enclosure for endangered black rhinos as part of a £3.6m expansion.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park (YWP), near Doncaster, will spend almost half the cash redeveloping its 'African Plains' attraction to house the animals.

A park spokesman said it was in "advanced" talks to bring a number of the animals to the attraction.

Conservation charity Worldwide Fund for Nature said there are fewer than 4,800 black rhinos left in the wild.

If successful, the YWP would become the seventh zoo in the UK to house the species.

Simon Marsh, from YWP, said: "There's really just a handful of them left in the wild. Yorkshire Wildlife Park is going to be part of the international breeding programme for black rhinos so there is a healthy genetic stock within zoos and wildlife parks throughout the world."

The expansion plans also include creating a camel reserve, play area and cafe.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park is planning to build an enclosure suitable for black rhinos