‘A special place in our hearts’: Toronto Zoo mourns death of its 17-year-old Sulawesi babirusa

Bucky, a 17-year-old Sulawesi babirusa who lived at the Toronto Zoo, has died. (Toronto Zoo photo)

The Toronto Zoo has announced the death of its 17-year-old Sulawesi babirusa, Bucky.

The zoo said the pig-like animal native to western Indonesia died on Saturday after sustaining a fatal injury when it accessed as space occupied by Vishnu, a male greater one-horned rhinoceros.

“Despite our team’s swift response, we were unable to save [Bucky]. We have launched a full investigation to understand how this tragedy occurred, and early findings indicate that human error played a role,” the Toronto Zoo said in a statement.

“As we work to ensure something like this never happens again, our priority right now is continuing the investigation and supporting our team who are experiencing profound grief.”

Bucky was one of the oldest babirusas in North America, the zoo said, and “held a special place in our hearts.”

“His gentle nature, curious spirit, and unique charm brought joy to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. Whether he was delighting guests with his quirky personality or forging bonds with his devoted caretakers, Bucky was truly one of a kind,” it said.

The Toronto Zoo went on to say that further details will be released as they become available and that they “respectfully ask for privacy for our animal care staff and volunteers as they navigate this loss.”