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 edit
Vince 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 edit
On 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 believed[by whom?] 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.
- ^ "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.