MANILA, Philippines — The Manila city government should not bring another elephant to Manila Zoo to replace Mali, who died of congestive heart failure in November 2023, the Philippine Animal Welfare Society said yesterday.
PAWS made the appeal to mark World Elephant Day.
The animal rights group said another elephant should not suffer the same fate of Mali, dubbed the “world’s saddest elephant” for living a lonely life at the Manila Zoo until her death.
“By leaving elephants out of our zoos, we can do better in advancing conservation efforts by focusing on protecting the habitats of every wild animal that is endemic to our country. That is how we can show compassion to these animals,” PAWS said in a statement.
Based on the necropsy findings, Mali suffered a cancerous growth in her pancreas, nodules around the liver, slightly inflamed kidneys and aorta blockage.
The group said people must recognize that not all acts of cruelty leave physical marks, stressing science has shown that the needs of wild animals go beyond what is provided to them in captivity.
“Mali was kept in an enclosure, which did not allow her to engage in natural enrichment activities and be with her own kind her whole life,” PAWS said.