THE world's leading experts on rhinos and rhino conservation will descend on Chester Zoo this week.

More than 100 zookeepers, researchers, scientists and conservationists from the USA, Australia, Africa and Europe are gathering to debate issues surrounding the five species of rhino - black, greater one-horned, white, Sumatran and Javan rhino.

It is the first time the world’s leading minds on rhinos have come together in Europe.

Key topics being discussed include conservation, managing breeding programmes in zoos and discussing ways to stop people – specifically in Asia – wanting to acquire rhino horn to sell on the traditional medicine market.

The growing price of rhino horn has led to a massive decline in rhino numbers, which have decreased by up to 97% in the past 50 years.

Last year was branded ‘the worst poaching year on record’ by leading conservationists after more than 1,200 rhinos were hunted in South Africa alone - a 9000% increase from 2007.

Chester Zoo’s director general and one of the event’s keynote speakers, Dr Mark Pilgrim, is responsible for managing the breeding programme for the Eastern black rhino - working to ensure the survival of the critically endangered animals - in zoos across Europe.

He will look to highlight the zoo’s scientific research in rhino facilities, nutrition, hormones and genetics.

Dr Pilgrim said: “As the demand and price for rhino horn grows and poachers continue to slaughter rhinos across Africa, it is imperative that everyone does all they can now to protect them.

“Chester Zoo works with and supports multiple organisations that put huge effort into protecting rhinos in the wild but it’s also vital that we have a highly effective breeding programme in zoos. We need to have a genetically viable insurance population as, in the future, it could be what saves the species from extinction.

“Bringing together so many hugely knowledgeable minds, from all over the world, to share ideas and strive to further improve the way that rhinos are cared for and bred in zoos is so important and it’s a huge honour to be hosting the event.”

Chester Zoo has been successful in breeding a number of critically endangered black rhinos – with five calves born in the last seven years – as well as greater one-horned rhino, Komala.

Curator of mammals at the zoo, Tim Rowlands, added: “Our rhinos, and particularly the young calves, draw a lot of attention from visitors and they’re great ambassadors for the species out in the wild. Although they’re a visitor favourite, we need people to realise the huge amount of pressures that rhinos face on a daily basis due to poaching.

“Rhinos in the wild are being killed for their horns by criminal gangs that go on to sell the horn for huge amounts of money on the black market. If these poaching and hunting pressures continue, rhinos could be extinct in the wild in just over ten years’ time.”