Mali, the one and only elephant in the Philippines, is dead. She is said to be about 50 years old.
The initial announcement was made by Atty. Princess Abante, spokesperson of Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna,who said that the mayor will discuss the details of the bad news in a press conference tomorrow, November 29 at the Manila Zoo.
“Sa atin pong mga kapwa Manilenyo at mga kababayang Pilipino, ikinalulungkot ko pong ibalita sa inyo ang pagpanaw po ng ating mahal na si Vishwamali, na mas kilala nating bilang si Mali,” the mayor said in her Facebook live.
The mayor said a necropsy was being done after Mali died at 3:45 p.m. of November 28 in order to establish the cause of death.
Abante said that Lacuna rushed to the zoo upon learning of what happened to Mali, to meet with the zoo authorities, doctors and caretakers of Mali and made the formal announcement at around 6:30 p.m.
Reportedly, Mali, a female elephant, was born in Sri Lanka in 1974 and in 1977, she was donated to then First Lady Imelda Marcos who then turned her over to the Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden where she stayed as its major attraction until her death.
