A French zoo, Thoiry Zoo and Wildlife Park, discovered their white rhino of four years dead this morning when his keeper came to check on him. Vince, the white rhino, was shot three times in the head before having his horn chainsawed off. Poachers stole the horn because of its price. Since France prohibits the selling of horns and ivory, the poachers would need to sell it on the black market.

The selling of a white rhino’s horn is not just illegal, but also in high demand. The price per kilogram of a horn is about $60,000 on the black market. A white rhino’s horn is typically four kilograms, bringing the horn’s total to around $240,000.

According to bbc.com, “This is thought to be the first time poachers have targeted a rhino living in a European zoo.” The white rhino is an endangered species, even though their numbers have risen in the past couple of years. However, these rises in numbers won’t be for long if poaching continues.

A white rhino’s horn is in such high demand because of its use in traditional Asian medicine and Vietnam’s wealthy class. The horn is grounded into a powder and put into traditional Asian medicines and cures. More prevalently though, the wealthy people of Vietnam will crush it into a powder and eat it because it symbolizes their wealth.

Another big problem occurs in the wild, where white rhinos are easily hunted. Wwf.panda.org said, “Hundreds of white rhinos have been killed annually in recent years. They are particularly vulnerable to hunting because they are relatively unaggressive and occur in herds.”
The poachers are still at large for the moment, and other European zoos are encouraged to tighten their security. This may only be the first of many attacks.