BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Buffalo Zoo announced today that its 11-year-old capybara named Rosie has died.
The zoo said Rosie had to be humanely euthanized due to her declining health. Rosie was born on November 17, 2013, at the Little Rock Zoo in Arkansas and moved to Buffalo just under a year later.
Capybaras are native to South America and normally only have a lifespan of about 8 years.
The zoo said Rosie was often one of the first animals visitors could say hello to when entering the M&T Bank Rainforest Falls.
"While these animals can be gregarious, Rosie preferred solitude. The Zoo tried to introduce her to other capybaras over the years, but she would often reject newcomers in favor of alone time and hanging with her fellow exhibit inhabitants like turtles and geese. She resided with a male capybara for a few years in Buffalo, but had no offspring," the zoo said in a Facebook post.
