On the night of Saturday, 12 April 2008, Iziko suffered the theft of priceless horns from the White Rhinoceros mount in the historical Mammal Gallery at Iziko South African Museum. A black rhino mount was also severely damaged by the thieves and has been removed from the display.

The mount from which the horns were stolen has great historical and museological value to the museum, as the animal was part of the oldest collection of animal mounts in the museum. It was donated to the museum by Cecil John Rhodes in 1896. It was displayed without incident for more than one hundred years.

The Mammal Gallery has now been re-opened to the public. The display case has been repaired and the now-hornless White Rhinoceros mount has been left in position. It is a graphic reminder, not only of the modern-day risks of museum management, but also of the plight faced by this endangered species in its natural habitat.

The mounted animals in the Mammal Gallery serve an important educational function, and we consider it important to give visitors an opportunity to experience actual specimens rather than replicas. The museum will however have to carefully consider the relative merits and risks of replacing the damaged displays.

Enquiries: Susan Glanville-Zini, Director: Institutional Advancement
Iziko Museums of Cape Town
Tel: 021 481 3942
Email: sglanville-zini@iziko.org.za

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