‘World’s saddest elephant’ dies at nearly 50 years old after decades in captivity
Mali the Asian elephant has died in captivity at the Manila Zoo at nearly 50 years old.
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The “world’s saddest elephant,” Mali, has died at the Manila Zoo in the Philippines, mayor Honey Lacuna announced on Wednesday.
The Asian elephant earned her title because she was the only captive elephant in the country and lived alone at the zoo for decades.
Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) long advocated for Mali to be transferred to another sanctuary with more elephants.
Mali, who lived at the zoo for about 45 years, caught the attention of Paul McCartney in 2013 when he worked with PETA.
McCartney raised awareness for the elephant and wrote a letter to Philippine President Benigno Aquino III asking for Mali to be moved to an elephant sanctuary in Thailand.
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At the time, PETA said Mali “endures intense confinement, loneliness, boredom, and isolation” in a site that is significantly smaller than her natural habitat.
But Mali stayed in Manila, where she was the main attraction at the zoo.
Mali, who was nearly 50, had cancer at the end of her life and was often seen rubbing her trunk against a wall, meaning she was in pain, according to the chief veterinarian at the zoo.
Vets gave her antihistamines and vitamins on Tuesday, but she died later that day.
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Despite animal rights activists pushing for Mali to be moved to a new home, the zoo had argued that it was the only place she had known, BBC News reported.
Mali arrived at the Manila Zoo from Sri Lanka, and PETA has urged the country not to send another animal to Manila.
PETA Asia said in a statement to CBS that Mali died in her “barren concrete pen” due to “indifference and greed.”
PETA also said living in solitary confinement is “torture” for female elephants because they need to spend their lives alongside other elephants and work to raise babies.
Their statement read: “Despite PETA’s repeated warnings, zoo and city officials ignored Mali’s clearly painful foot problems, sentencing her to years of suffering."
PETA continued: “The Manila Zoo has announced that Mali had cancer that was not detected by their veterinarians until after she died.
“Due to the fact that there is no elephant expert in the country, Mali was never provided with routine veterinary care - something she would have been given at the sanctuary PETA was prepared to transfer her to.”
Those who denied Mali a different home “should be held accountable for their part in allowing Mali’s suffering,” PETA Asia said.
Asian elephants have an average lifespan of about 70 years in the wild and 80 years in captivity, according to People’s Trust for Endangered Species.
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