Ambika, The 72-Year-Old Elephant Gifted To US By India, Euthanised At Washington Zoo

Ambika, the 72-year-old elephant who was gifted to the US by India in 1961 was laid to rest at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, on Friday.

She was humanely euthanized by the zoo authorities following a recent and irreversible decline in her health. The National Zoo also mourned Ambika’s death and posted about her on Twitter .

Born in 1948, in India, Ambika was the third oldest Asian elephant in the North America population. She was captured in the Coorg forest when she was 8-years-old and she worked as a logging elephant until 1961. She was given to the Washington zoo as a gift from the children of India.

According to News18, in a statement the zoo authorities said:

Elephant keepers have fondly reflected on Ambika’s sense of humour, particularly during mealtimes, when the persnickety eater would arrange her grains to her liking before eating.

Over the years, Ambika had undergone treatment for osteoarthritis, a condition that first developed when she was in her late 60s. This was an incurable condition but, the animal care staff did take steps to lower her pain and slow down the progression of the disease.

However, as time passed, her condition declined physically and socially and given her age, the zoo keepers had to make the tough decision of putting her to sleep.

Even Twitter mourned Ambika’s death:

RIP, Ambika! You will be missed.