March 28, 2020
National Zoo Mourns Death of Asian Elephant
The 72-year-old animal was the third oldest in the North American population
Ambika, the beloved eldest member of the Smithsonian National Zoo’s Asian elephant herd, was euthanized yesterday, March 27, following a recent and irreversible decline in her health. The Zoo reports that Ambika’s age was estimated to be around 72 years, making her the third oldest Asian elephant in the North American population. She lived longer by almost three decades than other female Asian elephants under human care.