Bachelor Angus has arrived at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo to help boost the population of his species.   

The trip forms part of a coordinated breeding programme. 

Keepers at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo are anticipating the ‘pitter patter of tiny hooves’ following the arrival of a new bachelor.

Angus, a nine-year-old Grevy’s zebra, has moved from his home at West Midlands Safari Park for a three-month stay in Scotland. 

Conservationists have paired him with resident females Grace, eight, and Azizi, seven, in the hopes of boosting the population of this rare Zebra species.

Distinctive for their large, satellite-like ears, Grevy’s zebras originate from the semi-arid bushlands and savannas of northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia. However, habitat loss, competition with livestock and hunting have seen their numbers decline, with fewer than 3,000 remaining in the wild.

A spokesperson for RZSS said: ‘Keepers at the wildlife conservation charity are hoping sparks will fly and result in the pitter-patter of tiny hooves in the year to come. This trip is part of a coordinated breeding programme intended to increase the population of this Endangered species’.

Image (C) RZSS Edinburgh Zoo.