A dog on the loose in a Missouri zoo caused an elephant to become so anxious that she died
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Officials at the St. Louis Zoo announced Rani's demise on Tuesday afternoon, saying a dog might have been indirectly responsible for her death.
A 27-year-old Asian elephant named Rani died at the St. Louis Zoo in Missouri on Friday.
Officials at the St. Louis Zoo announced Rani's demise on Tuesday afternoon, saying a dog on the loose might have been indirectly responsible for her death.
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Michael Macek, the director at St. Louis Zoo, said, "We are devastated. We ask for the community's thoughts and support during this difficult time."
The pathologist at the St. Louis Zoo found that Rani had preexisting heart problems. However, the zoo is still examining what contributed to her death.
The officials believe that the immediate cause of death might be related to a small dog running around in a non-public area near the elephant barn.
Rani was indoors having dinner and did not see the dog. But another elephant that saw the dog became agitated.
The Elephant Care Team members tried to catch the dog while moving the other elephants indoors. However, Rani became distressed inside the barn. She began to vocalise with the other elephants before collapsing.
The officials tried to revive her but failed.
After Rani passed, the Elephant Care Team spent time with her to say goodbye. Other elephants were also given time with her. The zoo officials said they calmed down quickly and are doing well.
Later, the zoo officials caught the small dog and turned it into a local shelter.
Rani was five when she and her mother, Ellie, came to the St. Louis Zoo in 2001. Eight Asian elephants remain at the St. Louis Zoo, including six from three generations of the same family.
"Rani was a special member of this elephant family group," Katie Pilgram-Kloppe, zoological manager of the River's Edge habitat at the zoo, said in a statement. "While growing up here in St. Louis, she learned from her mom, Ellie, how to be an amazing mother herself," Pilgram-Kloppe said.
There are less than 50,000 Asian elephants left in the wild, scattered in discrete habitats across 13 countries. Their future survival as a species is uncertain, with threats from poachers killing them for ivory, skin, and meat. Furthermore, the humans continue to intrude into the space where they roam.
According to the St. Louis Zoo, their breeding programme is helping preserve the species. Recently, three elephants, Maliha, Jade and Priya, were born there. Under human care, the median life expectancy of a female Asian elephant is 47 years.
(With inputs from agencies)
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