At the end of February 2019 Terra Natura Zoo at Benidorm (Spain) announced that there was a new Indian Rhino: his name was Tarun and he was transferred from Wroclaw (PL) on 18 October 2018. Few days later, on Sunday 25 February 2019, it was announced that Tarun has suddenly died, probably because of an intestinal colic, a disease that is common in Equid (a species related to Rhinos). Tarun, in fact, had suffered a previous episode in Wroclaw. This time he didn’t make it, despite all the Veterinary efforts spent.

Tarun was 9 years old and he was transferred to Spain in the frame of the European breeding program for the Indian Rhino. He was meant to mate with the females that reside in Benidorm, Nisha and Shiwa, who is the only one that had a calf in 2012. The transfer was planned because since 2011 the male that lives at the Zoo, Nico, has failed to mate with the females, probably because of age-related problems or others that are not mentioned by Zoo Officials. According to the International Studbook of the Indian Rhinos, Tarun was Jhansi and Belur’s sons: he was of great genetical importance.

It is not clear what is going to happen after Tarun’s death in Benidorm. Will the Zoo receive a new male Rhino in order to continue the Indian Rhino breeding program started in 2012?