A 21-year-old black rhinoceros who could make paintings by holding a paintbrush in his mouth has died at the Denver Zoo.
Mshindi, who had chronic painful foot problems, was euthanized Wednesday after he “lost his quality of life,” according to a post on the zoo’s Facebook page. He was famous for making paintings that were sold to raise money for animal conservation.
“This is very hard for all of our staff,” zoo official Dale Leeds told CBS. “We’ll miss him terribly, but we knew this was the right thing to do.” The median life expectancy for black rhinos in North America is 17.8 years, according to the zoo’s Facebook.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Trump’s Message Worked on Latino Men
- What Trump’s Win Could Mean for Housing
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Sleep Doctors Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives
- Column: Let’s Bring Back Romance
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Charlotte Alter at charlotte.alter@time.com