'World's oldest' rhino dies in sanctuary in Tanzania aged 57

Jimmy Nsubuga
Black Rhino
A Black Rhino (not Fausta) in the wild (Picture: Getty)

Female black rhino Fausta, who was thought to be the oldest in the world, has died at the Ngorongoro animal sanctuary in Tanzania aged 57.

Authorities confirmed the animal died on Friday from natural causes.

The eastern black rhino, who was first spotted in 1965 at the Ngorongoro crater, spent most of her life in the wild before she had to move to the sanctuary in 2016 because of her old age.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Authority said in a statement: “Records show that Fausta lived longer than any rhino in the world and survived in the Ngorongoro, free-ranging, for more than 54 years.”

A mother black rhinocerous and her young calf feed on grass in the flat savannah region of northern Tanzania
A mother black rhinocerous and her young calf feed on grass in the flat savannah region of northern Tanzania (Picture: Getty)

They added: “Fausta was first located in the Ngorongoro crater in 1965 by a scientist from the University of Dar Es Salaam, at the age of between three and four years.

“Her health began to deteriorate in 2016, when we were forced to put the animal in captivity, after several attacks from hyenas and severe wounds.”

READ MORE YAHOO UK NEWS HERE:

Birth of endangered rhino ‘best Christmas present zoo could have wished for’

Wildlife crisis: ‘Spark of hope’ as species declared extinct is rediscovered

Tigers, elephants and pangolins suffer as global wildlife trafficking soars

The previous oldest Indian rhino in captivity Randa died aged 48 at Los Angeles zoo in 2017.

Rhinos can live past 50 in captivity but in the wild, they are more likely to survive until 43.

Fausta’s longevity was also attributed to her not having calves.

The eastern black rhino is critically endangered due to poaching for its horns but numbers have increased in recent years.