Rhino, who arrived at Delhi Zoo in 2024, dies

A one-horned male rhinoceros lodged at the National Zoological Park—informally known as the Delhi zoo—has died, zoo officials said on Thursday, adding that they are probing the cause behind the death of the 11-year-old ungulate.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok

NEW DELHI:

"The rhinoceros, which was named Dharmendra, collapsed in its enclosure in the early hours of the day and was found by beat keepers. This was before visitors arrived, and the animal was shifted to the veterinary hospital, but was declared dead. The animal was healthy, so it comes as a shock, and the real reason can only be ascertained after a postmortem examination," zoo director Sanjeet Kumar said.

Zoo officials said they have called a team from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) at Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh to conduct the postmortem examination.