US: Stray Dog Scare Leads 27-Year-Old Asian Elephant Rani to Collapse and Die Inside St Louis Zoo in Missouri
The pathologist at the zoo performed a necropsy, which indicated certain pre-existing abnormalities in Rani's heart. According to reports, additional testing is being carried out to establish the relevance of these alterations.
Missouri, October 19: An endangered elephant fell and died after getting startled by a stray dog wandering in the zoo. Rani, a 27-year-old female Asian elephant, died on Friday, October 13, as a result of the ruckus at the St Louis Zoo in Missouri in the United States. The elephant died around 20 minutes after the dog was sighted running in a non-public area near the Elephant Barn, according to the zoo.
The dog was taken to a shelter later, though one of the elephants outside became upset due to this. While Rani was eating supper in her room and did not see the dog, she grew anxious after hearing the herd's vocalisations, according to Saint Louis Zoo. Kabini's 70-Year-Old Elephant Bhogeswara Famous For Its Longest Tusks in Asia Dies Due To Age-Related Illnesses, Wildlife Lovers Mourn Death.
"They saw Rani circle and vocalise, all within a very brief period, before collapsing. Upon Rani’s fall, the Zoo’s Elephant Care and Animal Health teams immediately performed emergency care. However, they were unsuccessful in reviving her", the St Louis Zoo said in a recent statement.
The pathologist at the zoo performed a necropsy, which indicated certain pre-existing abnormalities in Rani's heart. According to reports, additional testing is being carried out to establish the relevance of these alterations.
Rani was the mother of Jade, Kenzi, and Avi, as well as Ellie's daughter. Raja, the Zoo's male elephant, fathered Rani and Ellie's babies. Rani and Ellie, a mother and daughter combination, arrived at the Saint Louis Zoo in July 2001, at the ages of 5 and 29, respectively, after the AZA Asian Elephant Species Survival Plan suggested the migration. Tamil Nadu: Retired ‘Kumki’ Elephant ‘Moorthy’ Dies in Theppakadu Rehabilitation Camp.
Less than 50,000 Asian elephants are living in the wild, and they are on the verge of extinction as a result of habitat degradation and poaching. Asian elephants may weigh up to 11,000 pounds and stand up to 11.5 feet tall, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 19, 2023 07:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).