Kamala, a longtime member of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Asian elephant herd, was euthanized Saturday in D.C. following years of struggling with osteoarthritis.
Even while measures were taken over the last several years to preserve Kamala’s health and quality of life, her physical condition had irreversibly declined, the Smithsonian said in a news release.
“Given Kamala’s declining quality of life and poor long-term prognosis, animal care staff made the decision to humanely euthanize her,” the zoo said in a statement.
Kamala, who was born in the wild, was estimated to be about 50 years old.
After she was put to sleep, the zoo said other members of the elephant herd, Maharani, Swarna, Spike, Bozie, Trong NHI and NHI Linh, were given an opportunity “to spend some time with their deceased herd mate.”
According to the zoo, Kamala was born in Sri Lanka around 1975 and first lived at an elephant orphanage in Pinnawalla, before being moved with her longtime herd mate, Swarna, to the Calgary Zoo in Alberta, Canada. Kamala gave birth to two offspring while in Canada.
Kamala, her daughter Maharani, and Swarna were all transferred to the National Zoo in D.C. in 2014. It was around then animal care staff at the zoo began noticing and treating the symptoms that would eventually develop into severe osteoarthritis.
Her longtime elephant companions, Maharani and Swarna, were the last to visit with Kamala after her passing Saturday afternoon.
“Swarna and Maharani were the last to visit. Maharani spent quite a long time investigating the body, blowing into her mouth and trunk and nudging Kamala’s head,” according to the zoo.
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