Happy the Bronx Zoo Elephant at center of longtime legal battle dies at 55
NEW YORK (1010 WINS) Happy, a Bronx Zoo elephant who gave researchers new insight into the animal’s behavior and became the crux of a closely watched animal rights case, has been euthanized at age 55, the zoo said Wednesday.
The Asian elephant was put to sleep Tuesday at the zoo where she lived for almost a half-century. Zoo officials said some age-related conditions accelerated in recent weeks.
“She was a wonderful elephant,” interim zoo director Craig Piper said in an interview Wednesday, as heavy-hearted staffers absorbed the loss of an animal some had tended for over 30 years. “She served as a tremendous ambassador for elephants and for elephant conservation.”
Happy lived off exhibit because she did not get along with the zoo’s other two elephants. She was the subject of a longtime legal battle during which animal rights groups sought to have her given personhood status and be moved to a sanctuary. The Wildlife Conservation Society maintained that Happy was not only well cared for, but was, indeed, happy. Twenty years ago the WCS made the decision to no longer feature pachyderms. Maxine the elephant died in 2018. Patty, who is 57, is their last remaining elephant. The Bronx Zoo says she’s doing well, and enjoys going out on exhibit where the public can see her.
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📸 WCS’s Bronx Zoo, AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews
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