Oldest African elephant at Oakland Zoo collapses, dies at 50

Zoo officials announced the death Wednesday, saying they found M'Dunda collapsed in the elephant habitat, and she died Tuesday before vets could help her.|
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

OAKLAND - A 50-year-old matriarch of the Oakland Zoo's African elephant herd died suddenly long after surpassing the 17-year median lifespan for such elephants in captivity,.

Zoo officials announced the death Wednesday, saying they found M'Dunda collapsed in the elephant habitat, and she died Tuesday before vets could help her.

They said the elephant showed no signs of medical issues despite her advanced age.

The University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine will determine the cause of death.

M'Dunda was the third oldest African elephant in an Association of Zoos and Aquariums zoo,

She came to the Oakland Zoo in 1993 from the San Diego Zoo and quickly built a reputation as gentle and kind. She celebrated her 50th birthday in September.

UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy:
  • This is a family newspaper, please use a kind and respectful tone.
  • No profanity, hate speech or personal attacks. No off-topic remarks.
  • No disinformation about current events.
  • We will remove any comments — or commenters — that do not follow this commenting policy.
Send a letter to the editor