The San Diego Zoo’s conservation team is mourning the loss of a southern white rhinoceros that got a small slice of the limelight because of the company he kept.
The southern white rhino Chuck was nearly 50-years-old when he was euthanized by zoo staff late last week.
Chuck was the elderly companion for the zoo’s last remaining northern white rhino, Nola. Chuck stepped in as a companion after the zoo’s only male northern white rhino died in 2014.
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Nola died a year later, leaving behind only three living northern white rhinos on the planet. They all live in Africa.
Zoo officials said Chuck came to San Diego from the Knoxville Zoo in 1996. For the past two years, Chuck has been living with other northern white rhinos at the safari park.
The animal was under veterinary care for some time because of age-related conditions.
Chuck’s health declined significantly in the past few weeks.
