Exceptional closure of BIOPARC Valencia this Sunday, December 14 due to weather alert

A painful loss for the Valencian park's rhinoceros herd

The Spanish zoological park faces an especially difficult trial with the loss of an animal deeply cherished by its staff. At Bioparc Valencia, caretaking and technical personnel had to make the difficult decision to euthanize the young female southern white rhinoceros named Ami, only 7 years old, to put an end to insurmountable suffering.

The news deeply saddens all professionals dedicated to animal welfare who share the daily lives of these massive yet vulnerable creatures. Ami stood out for her sociable and particularly friendly temperament, both toward the keepers who cared for her every day and toward her herd mates in the enclosure, playing a key role in the group's cohesion and harmony.

Her presence notably fostered a harmonious environment that led to a historic milestone for the Valencian institution: the birth of Kairu in November 2025, the very first rhino calf born within the park's facilities. Ami thus left an indelible mark on the development of this breeding herd before her health declined irreversibly.

From Sweden's Kolmården Zoo to the Valencian savannah habitats

Ami's journey was fully aligned with international efforts dedicated to safeguarding endangered species. The young female arrived in Spain in 2023 from Kolmården Zoo in Sweden as part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) for the southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum).

Before her transfer to Spain, the animal had already overcome major skin issues in Sweden, which gradually resolved prior to her journey to the Mediterranean coast. Upon arriving in Valencia, Ami demonstrated excellent adaptability, quickly settling into her new surroundings and forming close bonds with the other members of the herd.

In the expansive outdoor area recreating African savannah ecosystems, Ami lived peacefully in a multi-species community alongside the male Martin, females Nombula and Kwanza, and the young Kairu. This unique habitat also hosts other African species such as Hartmann's mountain zebras (Equus zebra ssp. hartmannae) and varied birdlife including marabou storks (Leptoptilos crumeniferus), great white pelicans (Pelecanus onocrotalus), African sacred ibises (Threskiornis aethiopicus), and various waterfowl species.

Rapid clinical decline and the diagnosis of a fatal marrow disease

Despite this apparent adaptation, the animal biology staff's attentiveness helped detect concerning abnormalities over time. Prolonged periods of apathy and unusual behavioral changes prompted the veterinary team to intensify health monitoring and conduct comprehensive medical evaluations.

The implemented therapeutic protocols and keepers' repeated interventions could not halt the progressive deterioration of her overall condition. Given the case's complexity, the park's team called in specialists from the equine clinic at CEU Cardenal Herrera University in Valencia. Due to the distant phylogenetic kinship between rhinos and horses, both families share major physiological similarities and comparable pathologies.

Blood tests uncovered particularly severe and alarming disruptions. Clinical parameters revealed that Ami could no longer properly produce red blood cells, while her platelet count completely collapsed to a critical zero. These findings pointed directly to an underlying fatal bone marrow disorder progressing insidiously.

Over the final two months leading to this tragic outcome, her deterioration accelerated markedly. Faced with an irreversible clinical picture, and in close coordination with coordinators of the European Endangered Species Programme, zoological managers determined that aggressive medical prolongation could not be justified and proceeded with euthanasia to spare her prolonged agony.

Major scientific relevance for veterinary medicine and research

With the goal of turning this painful ordeal into valuable knowledge for the future of the species, a thorough necropsy protocol was initiated immediately. Post-mortem procedures were conducted in close partnership with the pathology department at CEU Cardenal Herrera University, confirming the rare and exceptional nature of this disorder in a young white rhinoceros.

The gathered data are currently undergoing comprehensive histopathological analysis, with definitive findings still pending. Scientists aim to pinpoint the precise origin of the bone marrow dysfunction and the mechanisms triggering the total shutdown of platelet and erythroid cell lines.

All anatomopathological findings will be incorporated into institutional research programs and shared with the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), of which the Valencian park is an active member. These unprecedented clinical observations will enrich international veterinary literature and supply valuable tools to veterinarians worldwide encountering similar hematological disorders in other specimens.

A global conservation strategy against rhino extinction

The tragic loss in Valencia underscores the immense challenges involved in conserving the white rhinoceros, an iconic species listed on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In the wild, these animals remain vulnerable to intense poaching driven by illegal wildlife trafficking and demand for their horns.

To counter this imminent threat, the IUCN advocates for the implementation of the strategic One Plan Approach. This framework establishes that populations living in their native habitat (in situ conservation) and individuals cared for in zoological facilities (ex situ conservation) must be evaluated and managed as a single integrated metapopulation.

Within this structure, scientifically managed captive breeding programs in parks serve as a viable genetic reservoir capable of backing potential reintroductions should natural reserves collapse. Concurrently, through the BIOPARC Foundation, the Valencian institution directly supports field initiatives by partnering with the Big Life Foundation in the Greater Amboseli ecosystem across Kenya and Tanzania.

While mourning Ami's untimely loss, the teams reaffirm their commitment to this educational and biodiversity conservation mission, drawing strength from past achievements and scientific programs to carry forward their dedication to threatened wildlife.