- Mali, one of the “saddest” elephant in the world, passed away in a zoo in the Philippines.
- Another elephant, Shiva, lived in Mali from 1977 until he died in 1990.
- The elephant was best kept in captivity because she had no experience with life in the wild.
Mali, an elephant regarded by activists as one of the “saddest” in the world, passed away in a zoo in the Philippines. For forty years, the Asian elephant, who spent nearly her entire life by herself in a pen, was the center of attention and a popular attraction at the Manila Zoo.
Advocates for animal rights, such as Sir Paul McCartney, have requested that Mali be moved to an elephant sanctuary by the authorities. When Mali was just 11 months old in 1981, the Sri Lankan government gave her to former First Lady of the Philippines Imelda Marcos.
The “Saddest” Elephant
Another elephant, Shiva, lived in Mali from 1977 until he died in 1990. Children received vaccinations at the Manila Zoo during the pandemic’s peak, where Mali provided entertainment.
Animal rights activists berated the Manila Zoo’s dilapidated state and claimed that its caretakers lacked the necessary tools to give Mali the medical attention she needed. The elephant was best kept in captivity, according to zoo authorities, because she had no experience with life in the wild.
2012: Sir Paul called for the swift relocation of Mali to a sanctuary in Thailand after viewing “heartbreaking” footage of the African nation in captivity. Mali stayed at Manila Zoo despite a similar written plea from former Smiths frontman Morrissey. Mali should rest in peace, according to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta).
Many Filipino generations remembered that school field trips in Manila would always include a visit to Mali, and they bemoaned the fact that she passed away alone on X. Due to Mali’s lengthy captivity, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna declared that she would approach the Sri Lankan government about donating another elephant to the Philippine capital.
