{"id":69084,"date":"2023-11-29T23:16:44","date_gmt":"2023-11-29T23:16:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rapidcelnews.com\/?p=69084"},"modified":"2023-11-29T23:16:44","modified_gmt":"2023-11-29T23:16:44","slug":"worlds-saddest-elephant-dies-after-decades-of-confinement-at-manila-zoo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rapidcelnews.com\/celebrities\/worlds-saddest-elephant-dies-after-decades-of-confinement-at-manila-zoo\/","title":{"rendered":"'World's Saddest Elephant' Dies After Decades of Confinement at Manila Zoo"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Mali<\/strong>, the “world’s saddest elephant,” has passed away following health complications after decades of confinement at Manila Zoo in the Philippines … where she spent most of her life alone in a pen.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The announcement was made Wednesday by the city’s mayor, Honey Lacuna<\/strong>, during a news conference — a day after the zoo’s chief veterinarian, Dr Heinrich Patrick Pe\u00f1a-Domingo<\/strong>, confirmed the captive elephant had cancer in some of her organs and a blockage in her aorta.<\/p>\n The diagnosis came after Mali was seen Friday repeatedly rubbing her trunk against a wall — an indicator she was in pain — and then laying on her side and breathing heavily Tuesday, passing away later in the day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n At only 11 months old, Mali, whose full name was Vishwamali, was gifted to former Philippines first lady Imelda Marcos<\/strong> by the Sri Lankan government in 1981.<\/p>\n In her early years, she lived at Manila Zoo alongside another elephant, Shiva<\/strong>, who died in 1990 after arriving in 1977.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Since then, Mali had been the zoo’s only elephant and lived in solitary until her death.<\/p>\n Animal rights activists have long criticized the conditions of Manila Zoo … blasting the keepers for being ill-equipped to provide the animals with proper care.<\/p>\n In 2013, Paul McCartney<\/strong> wrote to Philippine President Benigno Aquino III<\/strong> begging for Mali to be moved to an animal sanctuary to “bring an end to her suffering,” … while animal welfare group PETA added at the time that Mali “endures intense confinement, loneliness, boredom and isolation” at the zoo.<\/p>\n Pamela Anderson<\/strong> and Dr. Jane Goodall<\/strong> have backed the “Free Mali” movement.<\/p>\n The efforts never amounted to anything … with PETA expressing their devastation over the tragic news, writing on X: “One of the world’s saddest elephants has passed away. We’re so sorry, Mali. You deserved better.”<\/p>\n