Thorns from dunes to feed rhinos

The buckthorn is an addition to the rhinos' usual diet

A coastal park ranger in north Wales has solved the problem of thorn bushes growing out of control on sand dunes- by offering them as food for rhinos.

The sand dunes at Prestatyn have become overgrown with sea buckthorns which are threatening to interfere with natural movement of the dunes.

Ranger Alex Lister came up with the idea of giving the uprooted bushes to feed rare black rhinos at Chester Zoo.

The zoo's nutritionist says the plant is an ideal addition to their diet.

The plant was introduced to the Gronant dunes in the 1950s as a way of holding the sand dunes together.

The zoo houses seven black rhinos

But it has grown rather too well and is now threatening to stop the natural process of sand dune movement.

Mr Lister, Flintshire's countryside services park ranger at the dunes, had the idea of feeding the rhinos after hearing of similar schemes.

He said: "I had heard that Flintshire had done things like this in the past with other types of foliage so I wondered if the sea buckthorn would be of use to the zoo."

Chester Zoo currently houses seven rare black rhinoceroses.

Zoo nutritionist Dr Andrea Fidgett said: "Rhinos have a tough upper lip designed to cope with foraging on thorny bushes.

"Sea buckthorn is ideal for them as an addition to their normal diet.

"The young ones also like to play with it and sometimes hide behind it as rhinos can be quite shy."