THEY are among the rarest creatures on the planet.

There are now just three northern white rhinoceros' left in the world following the sad death of Nola.

The 41-year-old female had to be put down by keepers at San Diego Zoo Safari Park after suffering rapidly declining health.

Not having reproduced in her lifetime, she represented 25 per cent of the world’s northern white rhino population.

Yet here in Hampshire there is an encouraging example to prove that all is not lost for the breed in its fight for survival.

The southern white rhino was at a similar crisis point in the 19th century until a small population was discovered and years of conservation work saved it from extinction.

Marwell Zoo, near Colden Common, is now at the forefront of that fight thanks to its new addition.

Young calf Jabari was brought in from Dublin Zoo as part of the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme.

At nearly three years old, he is approaching breeding age, and with Marwell’s current rhinos getting older, it is hoped he will sire a new family.

For now he is settling into his posh new pad – the £3.6 million Wild Explorers exhibit.

Ian Goodwin is collection manager of Hoofstock Focus Group, which exists to help zoos with their rare species breeding programmes.

“All rhino species in Europe are managed in order to ensure the population is genetically sound,” he says.

“Each animal is logged in a studbook and their European co-ordinator checks bloodlines and pairing possibilities in zoos around Europe. It’s a bit like an arranged marriage system between the rhino population.”

This is vital for the future health of the southern white rhino population as it ensures the strong and healthy survival of the species by making sure there is no inbreeding.

Because Jabari is the offspring of a female in the Dublin Zoo collection, he had to be moved to prevent him mating with any female relatives.

Next year a young female will be introduced to Jabari at Marwell.

At each stage of the programme, the primary concerns are genetics and conservation.

There is never any money exchanged in the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme – it is a collaboration between all European zoos, but the receiving zoo pays for its new animal’s transport and bringing Jabari from Dublin set Marwell back by about something in the region of £5,500.

To get him up to his adult size, twice what he is now, he will eat seven bales of hay a week and 14kg of specially prepared rhino nuts.

But the outgoings are well worth it. He is a southern white rhino, one of a 20,000 strong population, brought back from the verge of extinction by conservationists like those at Marwell.

While there is some debate about whether the northern and southern rhinos are two distinct species, it is true to assert that the northern is on the verge of extinction.

There is a lifeline however.

There are plans to preserve the southern white rhino after the last three die, either by creating a hybrid between the southern and northern, or by creating a northern white rhino embryo and using a southern white female rhino as a surrogate to carry it.

Whatever happens, the ability to carry the species forward is thanks, in part, to work carried out at Marwell Zoo.