Jadu, lone rhino at Thiruvananthapuram zoo, dead

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Jadu, the lone one-horned rhinoceros at the Thiruvananthapuram zoo in Keralam and one of the main attractions of the facility for some three decades, died on Friday night.

The rhino, affectionately called Shambhu by the zoo staff, was 39. He was under treatment for old-age related ailments. The average lifespan of rhinoceros is around 35-40 years.

A ‘veteran’ of the zoo, Jadu was transported from the State Zoological Park, Guwahati, Assam, on May 19, 1993, by incurring an expenditure of ₹6.5 lakh. He was five then.

It was a lonely life for him though since Rita, a female rhino, was gored to death by Ramu, a male rhino, in 2004. Ramu too died of illness later.

A post-mortem examination is set to be conducted under the leadership of zoo veterinary surgeon Nikesh Kiran and State Institute for Animal Diseases, Palode, pathologist Harish.

Jadu will be cremated around 3 p.m. on Saturday.

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