Los Angeles Zoo’s 48-year-old Indian rhinoceros euthanized

This undated photo provided by the Los Angeles Zoo shows Randa, a 48-year-old Indian rhinoceros. Randa, who had survived skin cancer, was euthanized Monday, Nov. 6, 2017, due to signs of declining health including loss of appetite, difficulty moving and indications of kidney failure. The zoo statement says that she was the oldest Indian rhinoceros within zoos worldwide and had drawn attention to the plight of her species. (Jamie Pham/Los Angeles Zoo via AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A 48-year-old Indian rhinoceros that had survived skin cancer has been euthanized at the Los Angeles Zoo.

A zoo statement says the female rhinoceros named Randa was euthanized Monday due to signs of declining health including loss of appetite, difficulty moving and indications of kidney failure.

The zoo says Randa was the oldest Indian rhinoceros within zoos worldwide and had drawn attention to the plight of her species.

(Jamie Pham/Los Angeles Zoo via AP)

Randa was born on Oct. 5, 1969, in Basel, Switzerland, and arrived at the Los Angeles Zoo on Nov. 22, 1974, from the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas.

In 2009, she was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma under her horn. A team of human doctors and veterinarians removed the horn, and after radiation treatments she was declared in remission in 2011.

According to the National Geographic website, Indian rhinos have an average lifespan of 40 years in the wild.

The Latin name Rhinoceros unicornis indicates that they have only one horn. NVG

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