Zoo euthanizes 48-year-old rhino after grim health discovery, officials says

A zoo in Utah euthanized a 48-year-old rhino after its health began declining.

On Dec. 18, George, a southern white rhino, was euthanized following a cancer diagnosis after it was found to be spreading throughout his leg, according to a news release from the Hogle Zoo.

George arrived at the zoo in 1977 when he was just under a year, the Salt Lake City zoo said. His half-sister princess joined him shortly after.

“When I started at Hogle Zoo over 13 years ago, I had never worked with rhinos. I knew I would quickly fall in love with George and Princess. George’s love for attention and scratches was why I started public rhino encounters years ago. I wanted to share my love for him with others,” Lauren LeCoque, the zoo’s supervisor with High Desert Oasis, said in the release.

As George got older, his health began to decline with “dental disease, muscle atrophy, and a general slowing down – much like human seniors,” officials said.

George got “special bedding and flooring” along with medication to help comfort him while zoo keepers and veterinarians monitored him, officials said.

After his cancer diagnosis, medical staff tried to figure out a plan but came to find that there was no long-term treatment available for George due to his age and size, the release said.

“I have loved being part of Princess and George’s health care team for the past 18 years. I work with a lot of unique and amazing species at Hogle Zoo, but I have an extra soft spot for the gentle rhino giants. The veterinary team made house calls to George nearly every day for about a year and a half as we helped him through his old age conditions. George would eat his breakfast in an area where we could administer treatments. He was very good-natured with all the different treatments we tried. It was fun to scratch and talk to him up close while he chomped and slurped away at his food,” Dr. Erika Crook, director of animal health for the zoo said in the release.

As for Princess, her behavior changed over the summer and zoo keepers learned she had experienced a seizure so she was put on special medication and closely monitored, officials said.

After George died, zookeepers gave Princess time and space to be with him as they’ve lived together for the last 44 years, officials said.

“George was an amazing representation of rhinos everywhere and had many fans! He was sweet and spicy, like hot honey. He loved his skin scratches, mud baths, and attention as much as he liked destroying his toys, excavating dirt piles, and marking his space. I will miss George very much, and I will always remember the feel of his skin and squishy lips and the sounds of him eating his treats and pushing his toys around the barn,” Melissa Dacumos, associate director of animal care with High Desert Oasis, African Savanna and Wild Utah said in the release.

This story was originally published December 20, 2024 at 2:17 PM with the headline "Zoo euthanizes 48-year-old rhino after grim health discovery, officials says."