Fourty-year-old only elephant in Egypt's Giza Zoo Naeema (Photo: https://www.facebook.com/Giza-Zoological-Garden)
Giza Zoo’s last elephant has died due to a heart attack, a zoo official said on Monday.
Forty-year-old Naeema died Sunday after suffering acute pain, according to Mohamed Ragaey, head of the Giza Zoo's managing body. The death was only announced on Monday.
The African elephant had played with visitors a day earlier, but later lay down on her side in pain, he told DMC channel.
The zoo’s previous 60-year-old Asian elephant died three years ago.
The zoo, a popular Cairo attraction for many Egyptians, may look for more elephants in the future.
"There certainly will be efforts with the agriculture ministry to bring new animals," to the zoo, Ragaey said.
The zoo usually imports Asian elephants from south Asian countries, including India, and African elephants from southern Africa.
An elephant costs around EGP 3.5 million Egyptian (approx. $214,000), according to Ragaey.
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