Zoo Miami is currently experiencing a period of mourning following the death of Rinny, a female koala who had become a fixture of the zoo's Australian exhibit. Rinny was nine years old when she was found dead early yesterday morning. A zoo spokesperson detailed that Rinny had been under close observation after demonstrating a loss of appetite and unusual lethargy, as Local 10 reported.
Before her passing, Rinny had been immobilized last Thursday and taken to the animal hospital in hopes of diagnosing her condition. "The hope was that the exam would reveal any underlying factors that may be contributing to her abnormal symptoms," said Ron Magill, Zoo Miami's spokesperson, in a statement obtained by CBS News Miami. Unfortunately, her conditions deteriorated, and she was found non-responsive during a special check.
Following Rinny's death, a necropsy was performed that revealed some abnormalities, including an enlarged heart, gall bladder, and dry stomach contents. Despite these findings, no clear cause of death was immediately apparent. Zoo Miami's Animal Health team has dispatched a variety of samples for further analysis, in hopes of uncovering more conclusive information.
Rinny's journey began at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina where she was born on October 20, 2015, before moving to Zoo Miami in September 2018. She, along with the resident male koalas Milo and the still-living Coedie, had been the a major attraction at the zoo's Posner Australian Center, which also includes hairy nosed wombats, a family of Matchie's tree kangaroos, and a cassowary.
In light of Rinny's passing, the zoo reaffirmed its commitment to koala conservation, having already directed tens of thousands of dollars to the cause through the Zoo Miami Conservation Fund and the Gail S. Posner Trust. Magill expressed hope that Rinny's story would "be the inspiration that she gave to countless visitors to care for and protect these endearing marsupials," according to Local 10.
