Rhino dies of liver disease in Buffalo zoo

An Indian rhinoceros that spent most of its life in the Buffalo Zoo in upstate New York has been euthanized because of chronic liver disease. Officials at the zoo described Henry as "a very sick animal," The Buffalo News reported. He was put down Thursday when he could no longer stand. Henry was born in the Philadelphia Zoo almost 20 years ago and sent to Buffalo when he was about a year old. He sired two female calves with Tashi, Buffalo's female Indian rhino. "It is always hard to lose one of the members of our family," said Donna Fernandes, the zoo's president and chief executive officer. "Just like people can get liver disease through any reason, as animals age, they get prone to different things." Officials said finding another male rhino that is not genetically related to Tashi could take several months. The zoo participates in a breeding program. Indian rhinos typically live for 35 or 40 years in captivity. The species is native to northern India and southern Nepal.