GARDEN CITY, Kan. (KSNW) A Kansas zoo says one of its rhinos is responsible for the death of the other.

Jabari, a male black rhino at Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City, died July 11 at the zoo. A Necropsy was performed, and the preliminary cause of death has been determined to be trauma, without any underlying health conditions.

The zoo says an internal investigation has revealed that Jabari and a second male rhino, Ayubu, somehow gained access to each other’s indoor enclosures during the overnight hours. The pair were being housed in separate areas inside due to predicted storms.

One of them somehow managed to open a gate that kept them separated. Ayubu was also injured in the encounter and is being treated.

The zoo states that it has notified the United States Department of Agriculture and is preparing a report for the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, the zoo’s accrediting organization.

The loss of Jabari came unexpectedly and is heartbreaking to all who cared for and knew him. He will be remembered for many of his endearing behaviors including his vocalizations and ‘hopping’ around his habitat when he got excited. We thank Jabari for his vital role in the AZA’s Species Survival Plan for Eastern Black Rhinoceros and for fostering connections with zoo guests of all ages that helped bring awareness to his critically endangered species.”

Lee Richardson Zoo

Eastern Black rhinos are critically endangered, with fewer than 6,500 in the wild due to hunting and poaching.

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