Elephant Deaths at Facilities Accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) (2000 to Present)

The lives of elephants in zoos typically are far shorter than their 70-year life expectancy. More than half of the 59 elephants who have died at AZA-accredited facilities since 2000 never even reached the age of 40.

Summary
Age	# of Deaths
2-9*	8
10-19	2
20-29	6
30-39	14
40-49	21
50 and older	8
*This excludes the deaths of newborns and infants under the age of 2.
2008
Facility	Elephant	Species	Age
Philadelphia Zoo	Petal	African	52
Dallas Zoo	KeKe	African	39
2007
Facility	Elephant	Species	Age
Fort Worth Zoo	Babe	Asian	40
San Antonio Zoo	Alport	African	49
Abilene Zoo	Tanzy	African	49
Birmingham Zoo	Mona	Asian	59
San Diego Wild Animal Park	Carol	Asian	39
Woodland Park Zoo	Hansa	Asian	6
Saint Louis Zoo	Clara	Asian	54
2006
Facility	Elephant	Species	Age
Milwaukee County Zoo	Lucy	African	46
Oregon Zoo	Pet	Asian	51
Los Angeles Zoo	Gita	Asian	48
Knoxville Zoo	Mamie	African	45
National Zoo	Toni	Asian	40
Bronx Zoo	Samuel R.	Asian	14
2005
Facility	Elephant	Species	Age
Lincoln Park Zoo	Peaches	African	55
Birmingham Zoo	Susie	Asian	53
Gladys Porter Zoo	Macho	African	41
San Francisco Zoo	Tinkerbelle**	Asian	39
Lincoln Park Zoo/Hogle Zoo	Wankie	African	35
Disney’s Animal Kingdom	Ibala	African	26
Columbus Zoo	Ganesh	Asian	7
**Tinkerbelle lived at the San Francisco Zoo for 37 years. The zoo industry delayed her transfer to a sanctuary for nine months. When she finally arrived at the Performing Animal Welfare Society sanctuary in November 2004, her degenerative joint disease and chronic foot problems were too severe for recovery, and she died four months later.
2004
Facility	Elephant	Species	Age
San Francisco Zoo	Calle	Asian	37
Hogle Zoo	Kali	Asian	59
San Francisco Zoo	Maybelle	African	44
San Antonio Zoo	Ginny	Asian	49
Houston Zoo	Kimba	Asian	13
Lincoln Park Zoo	Tatima	African	35
Los Angeles Zoo	Tara	African	44
Busch Gardens	Kaba	Asian	35
2003
Facility	Elephant	Species	Age
Oregon Zoo	Hugo	Asian	43
Rosamond Gifford Zoo	Preya	Asian	3
Brookfield Zoo	Mame	African	32
Indianapolis Zoo	Amali	African	3
Kansas City Zoo	Casey	African	52
Kansas City Zoo	Dale	African	25
Jackson Zoo	Marrie	African	31
Busch Gardens	Sally	Asian	36
Six Flags Marine World	Tina	Asian	46
2002
Facility	Elephant	Species	Age
Dickerson Park Zoo	Onyx	Asian	40
Bronx Zoo	Tus	Asian	49
Bronx Zoo	Grumpy	Asian	31
Have Trunk Will Travel	Amos	Asian	3
Dickerson Park Zoo	Haji	Asian	2
North Carolina Zoo	Nita	African	28
Point Defiance Zoo	Cindy	Asian	40
River Banks Zoo	Belinda	African	33
Six Flags Marine World	Tika	African	24
2001
Facility	Elephant	Species	Age
El Paso Zoo	Mona	Asian	47
Oakland Zoo	Smokey	African	28
Milwaukee Zoo	Babe	African	43
Hogle Zoo	Toka	Asian	37
Denver Zoo	Candy	Asian	49
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo	Penny	African	47
2000
Facility	Elephant	Species	Age
Houston Zoo	Singgah	Asian	6
Gladys Porter Zoo	Louella	African	21
St. Louis Zoo	Carolyn	Asian	32
National Zoo	Nancy	African	46
Six Flags Marine World	Kala	Asian	2