A rhinoceros attacked a zookeeper at a zoo in Florida on Feb. 26, leaving the zookeeper seriously injured.
The female zookeeper was conducting a training session when the animal, a Southern white rhino named Archie that weighs some 4,000 pounds, struck her with his horn.
The zookeeper was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries.
The exhibit remained open and no action was expected to be taken against Archie, 50. The rhino has been at the Jacksonville Zoo since 1975.
Zoo Executive Director Tony Vecchio said during a press conference that the training is “hands-on” but said safety barriers separate the zookeeper and the rhinos.
Vecchio told reporters that what happened was unusual. “Archie has a clean personnel file, so he’s never done anything out of the ordinary,” he said.
The training consisted of preparing the rhinos for medical exams, he told Action News Jax.
“We teach them to open their mouths so we can do dental exams. We teach them to lift up their feet so we can examine how their hooves are doing, or their foot pads. We also train them to allow us to take blood,” said Vecchio.
The portion of the park where the training happens isn’t open to the public. The area does not have surveillance cameras.
This is Archie, the rhino involved in this morning’s incident at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. His horn struck a zookeeper who was then taken to the hospital. @FCN2go pic.twitter.com/wE52rXqBIz
— Eric Alvarez (@FCNEric) February 26, 2019
This is Archie, the 50-year-old Southern white rhino the #Jacksonville Zoo says injured a zookeeper with his horn this morning. Zoo has allowed us in to see him. He’s on display to the public right now,despite this morning’s incident. @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/hFtendkEb7
— Jenna Bourne (@jennaANjax) February 26, 2019
“The keepers, they know to treat every animal as if it’s potentially dangerous. So, they don’t—they’re not particularly friendly with the rhino, with Archie, but he’s a well-liked animal. He has such a good disposition,” said Vecchio.
While Vecchio said Archie had a clean record, the rhino has escaped from his enclosure twice. Vecchio said the escapes happened when a zookeeper left a gate open.
Park security officials are investigating, as are Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission officials.
The agency went to the zoo on Tuesday but had not returned as of Wednesday at noon, reported First Coast News.
UPDATE on condition of #Jacksonville zookeeper injured by rhino’s horn: The zoo’s executive director tells me she has a broken rib and no other injuries. He tells me she’s “feeling OK” and is hoping to be released this morning: https://t.co/IccEwf0Wgw @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/bEK9PN5Twc
— Jenna Bourne (@jennaANjax) February 27, 2019
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens spokesperson J.J. Vitale said that the rhino is doing fine and the injured zookeeper was released from the hospital on Wednesday morning.
The rhinos at the zoo are housed in the African Loop, which visitors can see as they walk along a 1,400-foot long boardwalk. The rhinos, greater kudu, and ostrich inhabit three areas that encompass 2.5 acres in total.
According to the zoo, Southern white rhinos have been on exhibit since a pair arrived in April 1967. “A dozen births have occurred here making the Jacksonville Zoo one of the more successful white rhino producers. Today those born here can be found around the world in the United States, Germany, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia,” it stated.
