A NEW resident at Colchester Zoo is getting his strength back after a tiring 600 mile journey.

A NEW resident at Colchester Zoo is getting his strength back after a tiring 600 mile journey.

The hefty new attraction, an adult male White Rhino named Otto, is settling in after travelling all the way from a safari park in Denmark.

Otto was brought via lorry to the zoo, from Knuthenborg Park, on a European endangered species programme recommendation.

He spent the trip in a crate and a special crane was used to unload him when he arrived, along with plenty of help from the keepers and staff.

Initially Otto was kept inside in the stalls of the enclosure to allow him to settle after his long journey and he will continue to be kept away from the other rhinos before starting the process of introduction while they all become acquainted.

Otto was born in October 1997 in South Africa and joins three other adult females as well as Zamba, a young male rhino, at their Kingdom of the Wild enclosure.

It is hoped that a breeding programme will be established and Otto will be able to mate successfully with the two younger females, securing the future of his species which is listed as near threatened by poachers.