FRESNO (KMJ) — Officials at Fresno Chaffee Zoo say they’re confident in the site’s security after an incident in France in which a white rhino was found dead and one of it’s horns taken.
“We have multiple security layers within our zoo to help protect our animals, but if I were to discuss them obviously then we would be less secure,” says general curator Lyn Myers.
Early this week, officials at the Thoiry Zoo near Paris discovered a 5-year-old rhinoceros shot in the head three times, and found evidence of a chain saw being used to remove the horn. The dead animal was discovered the next morning.
“So be it elephant ivory, or rhino horn, it’s really important not to participate in that market…and if you don’t know don’t buy it,” explains Myers. She says fighting the trade is all about education.
“Until we educate the people who are consuming the rhino horn, and until we knock out the market of the rhino horn, there’s always going to be people who are willing to do pretty horrible things to get their hands on that.”
Poaching is considered to be one of the primary reasons behind the dwindling population of rhinos.
“It was a very isolated incident, very brazen, sickening and disgusting act, that was committed. Poachers are not generally something we associate with a captive situation, generally they’re out in the wild. But poaching is the downfall of the entire rhino population of the world.”
It all comes after the recent birth of a white rhino at Fresno Chaffee Zoo, to new parents Tim and Kayla.
“He’s doing excellent, and we’re very excited to have him on grounds to help that population grow.”
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
