‘Sassy’ 43-year-old elephant euthanized after fall, Wisconsin zoo says

A 43-year-old elephant at a Wisconsin zoo died after falling in her stall, officials reported.

Zookeepers at the Milwaukee County Zoo discovered Ruth, an African savanna elephant who came to the zoo in 2006, “down and unable to get up” in her stall in the elephant care center on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 20, the zoo said in a news release.

They initiated a protocol for helping fallen animals, but after an exam by zoo veterinarians, officials decided to humanely euthanize Ruth, zookeepers said.

At 43 years old, Ruth was considered geriatric for an elephant, zookeepers said. The median life expectancy for a female African savanna elephant in captivity is about 39 years.

The two other elephants in the habitat, Brittany and Belle, also are more than 40 years old.

Veterinarians anesthetized Ruth and she “showed no signs of discomfort,” zookeepers said. The zoo withdrew blood plasma from Ruth, who was part of a zoo donor program.

Zookeepers and staff members were with Ruth as she was euthanized, and Brittany and Belle were permitted into her stall to say goodbye, the zoo said.

“Each elephant was given time on their own to see Ruth, which provided them their own space to process her death,” zookeepers said in the release.

Zookeepers said that Ruth kept them busy with her “feisty and sassy attitude.”

“Ruth was independent, and it wasn’t uncommon to see her alone in her own space in the outdoor habitat,” zookeepers said in the release.

A necropsy, or animal autopsy, will be performed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine.