Photo: Omaha Zoo
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo is mourning the loss of one of its most beloved family members.
On April 1, the Nebraska zoo announced that its greater one-horned rhino, Jontu, died on March 28. According toOmaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Jontu died from complications related to a gastrointestinal illness. He was 15.
The zoo’s staff will remember Jontu for his calm attitude and gentle demeanor.
“He was the best boy… ever,” Jami Ruether, a senior keeper at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, said in a statement. “I will miss his hello snorts, giving him mud baths in the winter, training, and just overall, him. Jontu was a favorite and will be deeply missed.”
“After spending most of his life in Omaha, Jontu was an incredible representative of Greater one-horned rhinos,” Dan Cassidy, the vice president of animal management at the zoo, added.
Omaha Zoo
Unfortunately, several weeks ago, keepers at the zoo noticed a change in Jontu’s health. The zoo’s veterinary and animal care teams started closely monitoring the animal and ultimately diagnosed the rhino with an inoperable partial intestinal obstruction. With no feasible treatment options and Jontu’s health deteriorating, the Henry Doorly Zoo made the difficult choice to euthanize the rhino humanely.
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source: people.com
