The Last Basselope  The Last Basselope is a children's book by Berkeley Breathed published in 1992. The 32 page story depicts Breathed's "Outland" characters, led by Opus the Penguin, hunting the last remaining specimen of a purportedly fierce beast called a Basselope. Once found, the beast—named Rosebud—turns out to be friendly and harmless. The book has been recommended as a resource with which to teach about the concept of endangered species and extinction.