Animal rights groups in the United States are angry about an event that took place in September at a Florida safari, whose information has recently been revealed: the death of a white rhinoceros that had arrived at the enclosure only 24 hours before.
The event took place in Kenansville, where the zoo is one of the main tourist attractions. The rhinoceros was shot, and the authorities have investigated the incident due to the controversy it generated.
According to recent reports, investigators concluded that the animal had escaped from the assigned enclosure the night before due to its agitation in its new habitat. The workers at the safari told the authorities, “We used the largest weapons we had.”
Before its death, the three-year-old animal had been quarantined in a separate area to adjust to its new environment. However, its altered behavior became aggressive, and it attacked fences and security cables, which ultimately resulted in the order to shoot. The animal received up to 15 shots, according to reports, and tried to escape but died shortly after.
The safari justified itself by saying: “In September 2022, a new rhinoceros started to be an imminent threat to the park. After consulting with the leadership and guidelines of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, we took the difficult decision to perform humane euthanasia for the animal.”
However, it has received strong criticism from animal rights groups, who believe that the rhinoceros died “in a cruel and unnecessary manner.”