BALTIMORE — Heart shattering news out of the Maryland Zoo.
Anna the elephant was humanely euthanized on Tuesday after a fall.
The 49-year-old was the cornerstone and oldest member in the zoo's African elephant herd.
She first arrived to Baltimore in 1983. For perspective, the Orioles won the World Series that year.
The zoo said Anna suffered from multiple medical issues, leading veterinarians to make the tough call in her best interest.
Anna outlived her species median life expectancy by more than a decade.
She'd been kept on a care plan that included physical therapy, diet, exercise, and antiinflammatory medication.
Anna also had access to different in and outdoor flooring that was much more friendly on her aging joints.
"She had a close relationship with her keepers and excelled at training, voluntarily participating in her medical care as she aged," the zoo said in a statement. "Her resilient disposition allowed the elephant and veterinary teams to jointly devise a care plan that allowed her to age gracefully and thrive."
The sad passing of Anna comes just a month after the zoo said goodbye to their oldest penguin, Mr. Greedy.
