Many others like Zoo Director Anthony Tropeano are deeply disgusted due to the horrendous crime committed by Donald Allison as he had tried to smuggle £540,000 of rhino horn out of the UK.

However he has now been jailed for almost a year after he was caught flying to China carrying the parts of the animal in the zoo. This animal was said to be dying due to natural causes.

The 62 year old was reportedly held at Manchester Airport in June 2009. He was said to be carrying horns in a hollow statue.

The zoo animal is believed to be a rhino, Simba, who had spent as many as 30 years as a star attraction in Colchester, Essex. This white rhino is believed to be a cure of cancer and is also a sex drug. It is said to fetch as much as £60,000 a kilo, which is much more than the price of gold.

"Had this plot been successful it would have fed demand for rare and exotic animals on the illegal world market and led to the further attempts at unscrupulous exploitation of endangered animals”, said Colin Brown, the UK Border Agency's Assistant Director at Manchester Airport.