Czech zoo saws off rhino horns to discourage poacher attacks

PRAGUE, Czech Republic – A Czech zoo is taking no chances after the killing of a rhinoceros at a wildlife park near Paris by assailants who stole the animal’s horn.

To prevent anything like that from happening, the Dvur Kralove Zoo said Tuesday it has started to remove the horns from its rhinos as a precaution.

The attack at the Thoiry Zoo earlier in March was a warning sign for zookeepers around the globe that poaching could be spreading beyond the killing fields of Africa and Asia.

READ MORE: Poaching incident in France zoo puts rhino security in the spotlight

Dvur Kralove director Premysl Rabas says it was a tough decision to saw off the horns but “the risk … is too high and the safety of the animals is our first concern.”

The zoo, which has 21 rhinos, says the procedure is painless.