Indian animal welfare activists mourn the death of long -loved elephants.
Shankar, a lonely African elephant of the Delhi Zoo, isolated most of his life, refused food on Wednesday and fell until evening. Despite his efforts, a 29 -year -old man died in 40 minutes, officials said.
For 24 years, SHANKAR has endured lonely beings, including at least 13 people about solitary.
The cause of his death is not yet known. San Jet Kumar Zoo told the BBC that “the investigation was ordered.”
SHANKAR is one of African elephants who arrived in India in 1998 and arrived in India as a diplomatic gift from former Indian President SHANKAR DAYAL SHARMA at Zimbabwe.
But SHANKAR’s companion died in 2001, Kumar said.
A former zoo official who did not want to be confirmed said that after the companion died, SHANKAR was temporarily trapped in the zoo’s Asian elephant, but the plan was not effective.
“They were very aggressive to each other,” he added.
“He was mischievous when his companion was there. They were popular among the zoo visitors. SHANKAR’s actions changed after other African elephants died. SHANKAR did not accept other elephant companies.
In 2012, SHANKAR was virtually confined to solitary despite the 2009 ban on the federal ban, which was transferred to a new enclosure and to maintain an elephant for more than six months. He stayed there until he died.
For many years, sportsmen have been removed from the Shankar Zoo and demanded rehabilitation in the wildlife protection zones with other African elephants.
In 2021, the petition of the Delhi High Court found Shankar’s migration to another African elephant. Two years later, the court dismissed the petition and instructed the petition to approach the committee to handle the transfer of wild animals by the zoo.
Until Wednesday, SHANKAR was one of the only African elephants at the Indian Zoo. The other lives at the Mysor Zoo in southern Taka, an adult male.
The zoo has long struggled to find two African male elephants, and has been trying to work due to high costs, regulatory obstacles, multiple approval and welfare issues, Indian Express reported.
The activists also described his enclosure as desolate and inappropriate, criticizing the conditions stored in the zoo of Shankar Delhi.
Nikita Dhawan, the founder of the non -profit youth of the non -profit youth who submitted a court petition in 2021, said, “It is heartbreaking to see him dying.” He had no serious health problems. And he was so ugly. “
The average life expectancy of African elephants is 70 years.
Kumar, director of the Delhi Zoo, told the Shankar case that “there is no report on disease or abnormal behavior.”
Animal welfare activist Gauri Maulekhi called SHANKAR’s death a systematic failure that demanded responsibility, reflecting “institutional indifference and neglect” for years.
MAULEKHI told the BBC that “internal investigation is not enough.” “This was a systematic failure that demanded real responsibility, and it must act as a moment of a basin that ends the cruel practices of elephants and other social animals in our zoo.”
When Kumar asked about the alleged negligence, he refused to ask a specific question, “All treatment and maintenance.”
In October 2024, the World Zoo and Aquarium Association suspended the Delhi Zoo’s membership about SHANKAR’s concerns about living conditions, and news agency PTI reported in accordance with the report that he was tied up.
The world’s agencies have given Delhi Zoo to migrate Shankar to Shankar or to improve nursing until April 2025.
One day after the notice of suspension, the Federal Minister inspected SHANKAR’s enclosure and said his health looked better. On October 15, the government announced plans to bring a female partner with Jimbabwe, Botz and Na, showing that interest and form are in progress.
Delhi zoo officials said they were no longer notified from global institutions. And SHANKAR died before the companion was ready.
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