by Rick LoBello

Everyone at the Zoo this week is feeling very sad about the loss of Savannah, our 71-year old Asian elephant. 

The Zoo sent out a press release on January 30 with the following information. 

The El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens is mourning the loss of the much-loved, Asian elephant Savannah who was humanely euthanized due to a rapid and irreversible decline in her quality of life. The 71-year-old elephant was suffering from advanced arthritis which was no longer responding to therapy. Savannah received special treatment for her arthritis from medical staff that included stem cell therapy, multiple oral pain medications, joint supplements, and an injectable joint supplement to help decrease the inflammation and pain of her joints, especially her most affected area, the left elbow.

I can’t think of many animals that have touched our Zoo family and community more than this beautiful creature who was born in the wilds of India. We do not have any information on how she ended up coming to the United States when she arrived to live at the Dallas Zoo on May 13, 1954. Twenty-one years later she was moved to the Baton Rouge Zoo in 1975. When Baton Rouge transitioned to a elephant breeding program she was moved to El Paso in 1997. 

Savannah will be remembered as one of the most important inspirations for our conservation fund when we launched it in 2008 and made our first contribution to the World Wildlife Fund to help save Asian elephants in Sumatra.

Over the past twenty-two years the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens has been supporting elephant conservation through educational programs at the Zoo and in providing funds to help elephant conservation organizations.  Our long-term support of the World Wildlife Fund Flying Squad Asian Elephant Conservation Program in Sumatra is one of the most dedicated conservation efforts in the Zoo’s history. 

Sumatra has experienced one of the highest rates of deforestation, severely affecting local wildlife populations. In 2012, the Sumatran elephant was changed from “Endangered” to “Critically Endangered” as it lost half of its population in one generation. Over two-thirds of its natural lowland forest has been razed in the past 25 years and nearly 70 percent of the Sumatran elephant’s habitat has been destroyed.  To address habitat loss and ongoing human-wildlife conflict, WWF started an Elephant Flying Squad in 2004. The squad is comprised of rangers, noise and light-making devices, a truck and four trained elephants that drive wild elephants back into the forests if they threaten to enter villages and agricultural areas.

Back in 2002 Savannah and her companion Juno were the inspiration for our first Elephant Festival and our long-term efforts to help save elephant habitat at Tesso Nilo National Park in Sumatra. After a long battle fighting cancer, Juno died in 2021. With the loss of Savannah the zoo no longer has an elephant for the first time in 68 years. 

Savannah also inspired people visiting the Zoo to support the 96 Elephants Campaign in 2015. As a result of this nation wide effort The U.S. government banned the sale of ivory in 2016. Months later, China promised to do the same. All told, we’ve taken nearly two million actions. Everything from petitions to calls to legislators to yoga and even origami, all for elephants.

More from the Zoo Press Release

“It has been a joy to help take care of Savannah for 18 years. She actively and voluntarily participated in her healthcare, as long as the reward was a tasty enough treat,” said El Paso Zoo Veterinarian Dr. Victoria Milne. “She allowed for regular blood collections, therapy for joints, and took her medication as needed. The whole veterinary team will miss our regular visits and check-ups with her, and pampering. It is never easy to say goodbye to our long-time residents, but we are out of options to keep her comfortable.”

Savannah participated in daily exercise routines that focused on maintaining joint mobility. Throughout her illness, she continued to socialize with Zookeepers, enjoy long soaks in her pool, and participate in enrichment activities.

Her last birthday in September was celebrated with the community singing Happy Birthday, a massive birthday cake, and guests signing an enormous birthday card in her honor. A lucky raffle winner took home a custom footprint painting created by Savannah.

“Savannah was a gentle giant with a great spirit. She was a great ambassador for her species and our zoo. She enjoyed meeting new people and showing off her harmonica and ‘fetch’ abilities,” said El Paso Zoo Director Joe Montisano. “The dedicated Zoo staff and veterinarian team did everything in their power to make sure she was comfortable as they managed her end-of-life care. We grieve her loss and are grateful for the many memories she gave us in her decades at the Zoo.”

Savannah lived a full life and helped guests learn about her wild counterparts and the challenges they face in their native range. The average life expectancy of an Asian elephant in North America is 45 years old. Savannah’s longevity is a testament to the high quality of whole-life care all animals receive from zookeepers, excellent nutrition, preventive and corrective veterinary care, and a safe environment.