Elephant Rani from the Nehru Zoological Park, well known for its participation in Bonalu and Muharram festivities for a long time, breathed her last on Tuesday at the ripe age of 83. The news was announced by the zoo authorities through a press release on Wednesday. Another animal, a male leopard named Ayyappa too died due to senility at the age of 21, the press release informed.
Rani, born on October 7, 1938, was one among the oldest elephants in captivity. It was shifted from the Public Gardens, Nampally where the zoo had been housed earlier, in the year 1963. She had been suffering from problems related to old age and was under the care and treatment of zoo veterinarians. Special supplements were given to her along with medicines to improve her quality of life. An earthen mound was built in its enclosure to allow her to lean and take rest, when she was unable to lie down due to arthritis, the note said.
She had been adopted by the vice-chairperson of the Apollo Foundation & Apollo Life Upasana Kamineni Konidela in July, 2020 for a period of one year. Post-mortem revealed that the pachyderm died of multiple organ failure.
The normal life span of an elephant in captivity is only a little beyond 70, the statement said. Citing Internet search, the statement said Chengalloor Dakshayani (female, 88 years) from Travancore Devaswom Board, and Lin Wang (male, 86 years) from Taipei Zoo were the only elephants which lived longer than Rani among Asiatic Elephants. Zoo officials and animal keepers paid floral tribute to the gentle matriarch and fondly recalled her memories. With her demise, the zoo is left with four Asiatic elephants—one male and three females.
Ayyappa, the leopard which passed away, was received from the Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park, Tirupati in the year 2000. He died on Wednesday due to multiple organ failure, the statement said.
