Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is mourning the loss of a true giant among animals, Archie, the oldest male southern white rhino in human care, who passed away at the venerable age of 55. First Coast News reported that the zoo's staff recently found out about Archie's soft tissue sarcoma, a type of cancer that ultimately led to the decision against pursuing an invasive treatment plan due to his advanced age and tumor size.
Previously Archie had undergone a successful tooth extraction, which was necessary for his well-being. Although this was a positive intervention, complications from the cancer meant "his condition continued to progress," the Jacksonville Zoo expressed in a Facebook post as per First Coast News, signaling the end of an era for the establishment he'd called home since 1975. The zoo also noted that Archie's final moments were spent outdoors, surrounded by his dedicated care team, a testament to the gentle care he received in his twilight hours.
Archie not only leaves an indelible mark on the staff and visitors of the Jacksonville Zoo but also on the population of his species with an impressive lineage of 60 descendants. As WOKV highlighted, his genetic legacy includes "14 offspring, 13 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, 14 great-great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-great-grandchildren." In celebration of this remarkable life, the zoo plans to host a Celebration of Life event on Saturday.
While Archie's time on this earth made headlines for other reasons, including a couple of escapades—one involving a fruitless lure with fruits and veggies and another requiring sedation and hands-on retraction techniques—these incidents serve as small footnotes in his long tenure at the zoo. He even brushed with regulatory scrutiny in 2019, when Jacksonville.com reported an accidental "bumped" with Archie's horn during a training session led to an Occupational Safety and Health Administration fine for the zoo for workplace safety hazards.
The death of Archie underscores the ongoing concerns for the preservation of rhinos worldwide. While the southern white rhino is currently classified as "near threatened", their northern counterparts are "critically endangered" with just two females remaining, housed in Kenya's Ol Pejeta Conservancy, as mentioned on First Coast News.
