On Tuesday, Four Paws stated that the Safari Park administration was apparently not responsible for the death of the elephant Sonia. However, they noted that the enclosure where she had been kept was not sufficiently spacious for the elephant.
Dr. Amir Khalil, Mission Director at Four Paws, explained that Sonia had been in poor health for some time, and both the park administration and Four Paws were aware of her condition. He mentioned that Sonia had an infection in her trunk, swelling in her hind legs, and had been losing weight for an extended period.
Sonia, a long-time resident of the Safari Park, passed away suddenly on the night of December 7. The park staff discovered her lifeless body in her enclosure.
Previously named Sonu, the elephant was mistakenly believed to be male for 12 years until a 2021 examination by Four Paws revealed her true gender. Sonia had been captured from the wild in Tanzania when she was very young, along with three other female elephants.
With her passing, the Safari Park now has only two elephants remaining: Malika and Madhubala. Sonia’s death came shortly after Madhubala was transferred from Karachi Zoo to the Safari Park to provide her with a more natural environment and companions, following the death of her long-time companion Noor Jahan last year. Experts had recommended the move to offer Madhubala the company of two other elephants.
