The term pachyderm means "thick skin". The Lee Richardson Zoo displays two species that are considered pachyderms, the Black rhino and the African Elephant. African Elephants are threatened with extinction in their native homeland. Our two cows came to the zoo in 1986 at the age of three years, after having been culled from the wild in Zimbabwe. The culling project was a humane way to reduce the size of elephant herds that had grown too large for their continually shrinking habitat. The black rhino is a highly endangered species also found in African scrub country. Rhinos are poached (illegally killed) for their horn and other body parts. These parts are valued for use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and are sold worldwide on the Black Market. Horns are carved into handles for "jambiyas", which are ceremonial daggers presented to young men of North Yemen when they reach manhood. A jambiya with a rhino horn handle is considered the best type, and may sell for up to $30,000.00