SEATTLE — Suki, the last elephant in captivity in Washington state, died Saturday at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma. She was humanely euthanized after a steady health decline over the past few weeks.
Nearly 60 years old, Suki lived beyond the median life expectancy of 48 years for female Asian elephants. She arrived in Tacoma in 1996 after being a circus elephant and spent 28 years at Point Defiance Zoo.
In 2019, Suki was diagnosed with tuberculosis. She also developed chronic arthritis and uterine tumors. Signs of increased discomfort and cognitive decline led to the zoo veterinary and animal care team's decision to euthanize her.
"[It] was the only compassionate course of action," head veterinarian Dr. Karen Wolf said.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's "Red List," Asian elephants are endangered largely because of poaching, habitat loss and other human-animal conflicts. There are nearly 180 elephants in captivity in the United States and it is estimated that 30,000 to 50,000 elephants remain in the wild.
Point Defiance Zoo previously announced plans to remake Suki's space into a habitat for animal species more suited to zoo life.
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