JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- One of the elder stateswomen at the Jacksonville Zoo has died after a long life on the First Coast, far from her place of birth.
Anne, a 39-year-old white rhino, died Monday; zoo officials believe she died from cancer.
Anne was born in South Africa in 1971, then moved to the Kansas City Zoo. In 1983, she was moved to to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.
The zoo plans to get more white rhinos from other zoos, because it is a participant in the white rhino Species Survival Plan.
"Anne was a beloved member of our extended Zoo family, and the staff already misses her very much," said Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Deputy Director of Conservation and Education Dan Maloney.
Growing up to 5,000 pounds and 6 feet, white rhinos in southern Africa were nearly exterminated in the late 19th century after decades of being poached for their large horns.
Conservation efforts throughout the 20th century were successful, according to the zoo, and the animal was removed from the endangered species list in the 1980s. Southern white rhinos are now listed as "near threatened," though northern white rhinos are considered endangered.
If you'd like to take a look at the 1,400 animals in the zoo's care, Monday is $2 day. The zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
