An elephant dies of apparent heart failure in Pakistan weeks after family reunion

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — An elephant died Sunday of apparent heart failure at a Pakistani safari park, an official said, less than two weeks after being reunited with her sister.

Sonia, who was almost 19, is the second elephant to die in two years in the southern city of Karachi, where she had lived since 2009. She was reunited recently with her sister Madhubala, who was transferred from Karachi Zoological Garden last month to be with her family members.

Madhubala was separated from sisters Sonia and Malika about 15 years ago.

The director of the safari park, Syed Amjad Hussain Zaidi, said the results of Sonia’s post-mortem will be shared in the coming days.

Pakistan has a troubled history with elephants in captivity.

Noor Jehan, 17, was brought to Karachi with three other elephants more than a decade ago. She died in April 2023, days after undergoing a critical medical procedure by a team of international veterinarians.

In 2020, Kaavan, dubbed the “world’s loneliest elephant” after languishing alone for years in a Pakistani zoo, was sent to a Cambodian sanctuary for the much-needed company of other elephants. Efforts to transfer him from Pakistan were supported by singer and actor Cher, who campaigned for his rescue.