BREAKING: Rhino Shot Dead At Bronx Zoo

New York, NY - A male Rhino was found dead this morning at the Bronx Zoo. Officials believe that the animal was shot dead with a tranquilizer dart, and are currently investigating the situation.

This is not the first time that a Rhino has been killed at the Bronx Zoo; in fact, it's the third such incident in just four years. The previous two deaths were both ruled as accidents, but officials are not taking any chances this time around.

"We are absolutely devastated by this loss," said zoo director Jim Breheny. "This is a tragic event for us, and we're doing everything we can to find out who did this and why."

Rhinos are considered to be one of the most critically endangered animals on the planet, with fewer than 30,000 remaining in the wild. They are often targeted by poachers due to the value of their horns, which are thought to have medicinal properties.

The Bronx Zoo is home to six Rhinos, four of which are currently on exhibit. The zoo has not announced what will happen to those animals now that their mate has been killed.

Cincinnati Zoo Closes After Rhino Escape

Cincinnati Zoo officials announced on Sunday that they were shutting down the zoo after a white rhinoceros escaped from its enclosure.

The rhino, named Cecil, was last seen at around 7:00 a.m. local time. Zoo officials said that they were closing the zoo out of an abundance of caution and that they were conducting a search for Cecil.

"We are taking this matter very seriously and closed the zoo out of an abundance of caution," said Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard in a statement. "Our first priority is always the safety of our guests and animals."

Zoo officials said that they did not know how Cecil had managed to escape from his enclosure, but that they were investigating the incident. They also urged members of the public to stay away from the zoo until Cecil had been recaptured.

The Cincinnati Zoo is not the only zoo to have had an animal escape recently. Last month, a lemur escaped from the Los Angeles Zoo and was recaptured several hours later.

Rhinoceros Species Threatened With Extinction

The black rhinoceros is one of five remaining rhinoceros species and is currently listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

The primary threats to black rhinos are poaching and habitat loss. In the early 1990s, there were an estimated 50,000 black rhinos living in Africa. By 2018, that number had plummeted to just over 5,000.

In addition to being killed for their horns, black rhinos are also threatened by collisions with vehicles and livestock, poaching for meat, and drowning in watering troughs.

Habitat loss occurs when Rhino habitats are encroached upon by human development or when they are degraded by things like climate change or wildfire.

In order to help protect this iconic species, a number of measures have been put in place. These include increasing law enforcement efforts, creating conservation areas and corridors, and working with local communities to raise awareness about the importance of conserving rhinos.

Despite these efforts, the future remains uncertain for the black rhino. It will take a concerted effort from all stakeholders – governments, conservationists, and local communities – to save this species from extinction.

Rare White Rhino Born At San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo announced the birth of a white rhinoceros calf on September 8, 2018. The little one is the first born at the zoo in over two decades and is a critically endangered species.

The rhino calf is healthy and doing well, but due to its small size and lack of immunity, it will be kept away from the public for now. White rhinos are typically about three times as large as this new calf, so zoo staff are taking care to make sure it grows big and strong.

The calf's mother is six-year-old Amani, who was born at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The father is six-year-old Angalifu, who died in 2014. Both parents are on loan from the Dvur Králové Zoo in the Czech Republic.

There are only about 20,000 white rhinos remaining in the world, making them one of the most critically endangered species on Earth. The majority of white rhinos live in South Africa, but they can also be found in Namibia and Zimbabwe. Hunted relentlessly for their horns, which are believed to have medicinal properties in some cultures, white rhinos were once close to extinction. Thanks to conservation efforts, their numbers are slowly beginning to rebound.

We hope this little rhino will help bring attention to the plight of its critically endangered species and inspire people to do what they can to save these animals from extinction.

California Man Fined $400 For Killing A Rhino

In what is being considered a landmark ruling, a California man has been fined $400 for illegally killing a black rhinoceros. The ruling, which was made earlier this week by a magistrate in Hluhluwe, KwaZulu-Natal, is the first of its kind in South Africa and could set a precedent for future cases of wildlife poaching.

The man, who has not been identified publicly, admitted to shooting the rhino with a hunting rifle on October 9th, 2017. A subsequent investigation by game rangers revealed that the animal had been lured out of the bush with food before it was killed.

"This case sends out a very strong message to poachers that they will be prosecuted," said Collet Khethisa, an environmental prosecutor involved in the case. "It also serves as a deterrent to other would-be poachers."

Khethisa added that the penalty handed down by the magistrate was fitting given the seriousness of the crime. "Killing a rhino is equivalent to killing a human being," he said.

conservationists applauded the ruling, saying that it sent a clear message that poaching would not be tolerated. "This is great news and shows that there are consequences for those who kill rhinos," said Susie Offord of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) South Africa. "We hope this will act as a deterrent to others who might be thinking of poaching."

Rhino poaching has increased significantly in South Africa in recent years, fueled by demand from Asia where their horns are used in traditional medicine. In 2018 alone, 1,028 rhinos were killed for their horns, according to government figures.