IN THE UNICORN'S SHADOW
L'Ombra dell'Unicorno (the Shadow of the Unicorn) is the eye-catching title of an unusual exhibition at the Museum of the Sciences (MUSE), Trento (Trentino-Alto Adige), running until the 9 Oct 2022.
Until last year, Toby, a 2-ton white rhinoceros, was the favourite attraction of the Zoological Garden of Bussolengo (Parco Natura Viva), near Turin, where he had lived for a record 47 years and where he peacefully passed away at the venerable age of 54. Among those who sent messages of regret was the Veneto Regional Governor Luca Zaia, who said “Grandpa Toby “ would be sadly missed.
Toby will live on in taxidermist form in the MUSE, where his gigantic carcass will be at the disposal of scientists and naturalists for study purposes. The present exhibition is dedicated to the plight of the different rhino species today, many of which are at risk of extinction. The creatures are still hunted ruthlessly for their horns, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine. In fact, during the last ten years almost 10,000 rhinos have been slaughtered simply to obtain the horns.
The exhibition also traces the origin of the unicorn myth, beginning with the report by a Greek explorer in 400 BC of an animal with a single horn that he had seen in India. The creature subsequently became the legendary horned horse and a Christian symbol of purity.
Info: Tel. +39.0461270311 www.muse.it info@muse.it
