George Mottershead opened the Chester Zoo in 1931, the first “zoo without bars” in England. In 1953 their first black female rhinoceros arrived at the zoo and died the same year. The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was on 2 June 1953. In 1961 a stamp was issued in the British Protectorate of North Borneo that featured the Queen’s head and a rhinoceros. Self- governance was granted to this region in 1963. Chester zoo established a successful rhino breeding of three calves between “Roger”, the first rhino bred in a British zoo (Bristol) and “Susie” who both arrived between 1959-60. In 1999 the zoo started a rhino breeding campaign that also supported animals in Tanzania and Kenya. In 1960 a stamp was issued in the British Protectorates of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania that featured the Queen’s head and a rhinoceros. These countries gained independence in 1962, 1963 and 1961 respectively.
