IRF RESPONSE TO RHINO POACHING AT THOIRY ZOO IN FRANCE
The international rhino poaching crisis has now reached Europe. Conservation groups across the world are saddened to hear of the tragic killing of a young male rhino at the Thoiry Zoo just outside of Paris.
“Rhino poaching has historically targeted wild populations,” said Dr. Susie Ellis, Executive Director of the International Rhino Foundation. “This is the first such known poaching incident at a zoo. Criminal networks fairly recently began targeting museum specimens in Europe. Zoos, as living museums, now are also at risk. In response to the Paris rhino killing, we urge all zoological facilities to take serious measures to keep their rhinos safe.”
The event brings the horror of rhino poaching closer to home for the western world. Rhino poaching has primarily taken place in Africa, where more than a thousand rhinos are killed every year. “Poaching is not just a crime of poverty,” says Ellis, “Poaching is a criminal activity, run by highly organized and sophisticated criminal networks.”
Every day, more than three rhinos are killed in Africa for their horn. Struggling to survive on ever-decreasing habitat, rhino species have long faced the constant threat of poaching.
The market for rhino horn has reached an all-time high, driven primarily by markets in Vietnam and China. Horn is seen as a status symbol, and is used in traditional Asian medicine, despite no evidence that proves its medicinal value.
Trade in illegal wildlife and products is now the fourth largest illegal market, coming in just behind human trafficking, drugs, and illegal weapons. “The International Rhino Foundation and our partners urge international cooperation to tear down these criminal networks and for governments to enforce their own laws against wildlife crime,” Ellis adds, “including honoring their commitments to international treaties that prohibit illegal wildlife trade.”
For more on IRF’s efforts to protect wild rhinos, visit www.rhinos.org.
6 thoughts on “IRF RESPONSE TO RHINO POACHING AT THOIRY ZOO IN FRANCE”
Heartbroken, simply heartbroken.
ugh, this just leaves me ill. I’m so upset about this. You would think rhinos–any animal, really–would be protected in zoos (at least, the upstanding, honorable zoos!). To know that poaching can occur inside these dwellings is absolutely terrible.
I am disgusted with humans; heartbroken and livid.
How can we help Thoiry Zoo get better security? Obviously, all zoos will need it.
This is beyond heartbreaking news. Have they no shame, compassion or feelings for these magnificent animals. How low will these killer go for money. WHAT ARE THEY DOING??? Rhino horn has NO MAGICAL POWER…it is compressed hair and nails. Humans should be worth a fortune if their hair and nails were sold. STOP KILLING OUR ANIMALS!!! This just had to be an inside job. No one heard the gun shots of the chain saw………not posible!!! A horrific tragedy.
My heart goes out to all who cared for him and who shared his life. This has to stop and the only way we can make it happen is to educate the East and make them realise the horn is ment to be on a Rhinos face, not sniffed up humans noses or mixed in potions people believe cure anything from cancer to sexual problems……!!!!! NO STATUS SYMBOL can warrant the slaughter of these powerful creatures.
ZERO TOLERANCE THOUGHOUT THE WORLD. If you are caught with any part of Rhino and their horn, you should be shot! The Status should be changed to DISGUST not WEALTH if you have Rhino Horn. Let the people that buy it see and experience the horrors of a poaching. Make then watch as they brutaly hack the face off a living creature. Then let them enjoy what may sit on a desk or what is sniffed up their noses as a status symbol!!! LEAVE OUR RHINO ALONE…………PLEASE!!!!!!!!
I know we really need to save the rhinos