Vince (22 September 2012 – 5 March 2017) was a Southern white rhinoceros who was killed by poachers inside a zoo in Thoiry near Paris, France.
| Species | Southern White Rhinoceros |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Born | 22 September 2012 Royal Burgers' Zoo, Arnhem, The Netherlands |
| Died | 5 March 2017 (aged 4) Parc Zoologique de Thoiry, Thoiry, Yvelines, France |
| Known for | First rhinoceros to be illegally killed inside a zoo in Europe[1][2] |
Birth and life
editVince was born on 22 September 2012 at Royal Burgers' Zoo, Arnhem, Netherlands. He was the second calf produced by 12-year-old Kwanzaa and her 20-year-old mate Gilou. Vince was born six weeks premature.[3][4] On 6 November 2012 he was introduced to other safari animals at the Zoo.[5]
In March 2015, Vince and another rhinoceros Bruno were transferred to Parc Zoologique de Thoiry in France.[6] He lived in an enclosure with two other rhinoceroses, Bruno and Gracie.[7] The three animals bonded, and Vince and Bruno, who were the same age, often played together.[8]
Killing
editOn 5 March 2017, Vince was shot three times and killed by a group of poachers. They removed one of Vince's horns by using a chainsaw, and partially sawed off his second horn.[9][10][7][11][12][13] It is likely that this attack was conducted in order to collect the rhino's horns and sell them on the black market. Rhinoceros horns are used in traditional Chinese medicine and Asian cultures,[14] and a single horn can be sold for up to $300,000 on the black market.[15]
On his death, Thierry Duguet, the head of the zoo, said "There has never been a case like this in a zoo in Europe, an assault of such violence, evidently for this stupid trafficking of rhinoceros horns".[10] French Minister Ségolène Royal called the killing a "criminal act".[10]
References
edit- ^ Forster, Katie (8 March 2017). "Poachers break into Paris zoo, shoot rhino dead and steal its horn". The Independent. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
This is thought to be the first time in Europe a live animal living in captivity has been killed by poachers.
- ^ Samuel, Henry (7 March 2017). "'Heinous' poachers break into Paris zoo and shoot white rhino three times in the head for its horn". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
Thierry Duquet, the zoo director, said that the "extremely shocking" attack was a first in Europe.
- ^ "Dutch zoo welcomes brand new baby white rhino". telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 January 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
- ^ Gates, Sara (26 September 2012). "Rare White Rhino 'Vince' Born Prematurely At Burgers' Zoo, Netherlands (VIDEO)". Archived from the original on 6 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017 – via Huff Post.
- ^ Limited, Alamy. "Stock Photo - The white rhinoceros Vince of Burgers' Zoo in the Dutch city Arnhem and born in September, plunged his self Thuesday [sic] (6-11-2012) into a new adventure. For the first time in his". alamy.com. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "ARNHEM - In Burgers' Zoo in the Dutch city Arnhem the 2.5 year old white rhinoceros Vince was Monday 9-3-2015 loaded and put on transport to the animal zoo Thoyry in France". alamy.com. 9 March 2015. Archived from the original on 6 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
- ^ a b Willsher, Kim (7 March 2017). "Rhino shot dead by poachers at French zoo". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
- ^ "At Blair Drummond Safari Park we have been part of the European Endangered Species Programme – EEP – since the early 2000s". blairdrummond.com. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
- ^ "White rhino shot dead in French zoo, horn sawn off". Reuters. 7 March 2017. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
- ^ a b c Breeden, Aurelien (7 March 2017). "Rhinoceros Is Killed for Its Horn at Wildlife Park Near Paris". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
- ^ "Poachers Break Into French Zoo, Kill White Rhino And Steal His Horn". NPR.org. Archived from the original on 30 March 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
- ^ "Poachers kill rhino for his horn at French zoo". BBC News. 7 March 2017. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
- ^ "Poachers Kill Rhino in Brazen Attack at French Zoo". 7 March 2017. Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
- ^ Hsu, Jeremy. "The Hard Truth about the Rhino Horn "Aphrodisiac" Market". scientificamerican.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
- ^ "White rhino Vince in Paris zoo shot dead, horn hacked off". theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved 6 April 2017.