Two white rhinos crushed to death by speeding lorry in Zambian park

The Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in southern Zambia is mourning the death of two rare white rhinos who were crushed to death by a speeding lorry on Tuesday night.

Of the two animals, one was a young male called Romeo and the other an adult female named Lubinda, the BBC reported.

Lubinda died on the spot, while Romeo suffered a suspected fractured spine and he died soon after being sedated for treatment after they were hit on Tuesday night on the Livingstone-Kazungula road that passes through the park.

The driver of the lorry, according to the BBC, is currently in police custody.

According to the WWF, southern white rhinos are classified as "near threatened" after decades of protection and management have boosted their numbers from near extinction.

Zacks Kalembwe, spokesperson for Zambia’s tourism ministry, told the BBC their deaths were a sad event.

"This is a very very unique species that we have," he said.

"It’s this rareness that brings more tourists to our parks. The rhino species were completely wiped out [in Zambia] during the poaching scourge experienced in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

"It is deeply saddening to lose two members of the breeding herd in such a manner."

BBC