Rhinoceros Autopsy

These are just a few questions that needed to be answered by coordinators of this huge, both literally and metaphorically, undertaking. In fact, the autopsy of such an enormous and exotic species happens rarely in Poland, or, for that matter, anywhere in the world.

– Diagnostic autopsy of all the organs will allow us to study the causes behind the death of this rare animal – said Professor Marek Houszko from the Department of Pathology of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, which is supervising the autopsy. – It is an absolutely exceptional case for students to take part in. Normally we have autopsies of dogs, cats and pigs – and he added that this would be his second autopsy of such a huge animal.

Scientific workers as well as students of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine will have a chance to perform autopsies on exotic animals from the Wrocław and Opole Zoological Gardens. Didactic classes, as well as clinical traineeships and research for advancing new methods of protecting endangered species, will be carried out per the appropriate agreements. The agreement with the Wrocław ZOO was concluded on the February 2nd, 2012.