Zoo Knoxville is in mourning after announcing the death of Dolly, a 56-year-old Southern white rhinoceros, reputed to be the oldest rhino in the United States. Dolly, a long-standing resident at the zoo since arriving from South Africa's Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park in 1976, was humanely euthanized yesterday due to a significant decline in her health and mobility, particularly in her later days, WVLT reported.
Dolly had been a fixture at the zoo, and a mother to 10 calves, marking her as not just a beloved member, but also an important contributor to the rhino population at Zoo Knoxville. Despite the zoo's efforts and collaboration with specialists from The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, there were, "no remaining treatment options that could maintain her quality of life," according to WBIR in a statement by the zoo.
Zoo Knoxville's President and CEO, Bill Street, expressed the collective heartache over Dolly's passing. "This is an emotional time for everyone who has cared for and loved Dolly," he told WATE, noting her considerable impact on the zoo's community and her enduring legacy. The zoo took solace in ensuring Dolly's final moments were spent with dignity and surrounded by those who cared for her deeply.
The life expectancy for Dolly's species is approximately 36.5 years, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which Dolly surpassed by nearly two decades. Her death closely follows that of another of Zoo Knoxville's Southern white rhinoceroses, Polly, who died in December 2022 and, had been Dolly’s enclosure-mate up until Polly’s death, as WATE detailed in their coverage.
