Houston Zoo loses last rhinoceros

HOUSTON, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- The last rhinoceros in the Houston Zoo has died of old age.

Bu, a Southern white rhinoceros, was 39, The Houston Chronicle reported. He had been living at the zoo since 1971 when he and his companion, Marcibit, arrived from South Africa.

Born on the Umfolozi Game Reserve in South Africa, Bu was named Samburu after a game park in Kenya. In Houston, Bu became a local celebrity, featured on posters for the zoo.

"Everybody knows him," said Kelli Parker, keeper for the hoofed animals. "He had this nature. When you called him, he'd come right over. He'd stand as long as you wanted him around. Bu was just so hands-on, you couldn't just talk to him. He needed hands on him."

Marci died in March 2006. Keepers moved Bu to a new area and spent a lot of time with him to keep him from depression.

On Thursday, Bu collapsed and died shortly before a scheduled meeting to decide whether he should be put down.