Former Phila. Zoo elephant Dulary dies at Tenn. sanctuary

Dulary, a 50-year-old Asian elephant that spent most of her life at the Philadelphia Zoo, died Monday at a sanctuary in rural Tennessee, officials said.

A necropsy to determine the cause of her death was planned, said Dana Lombardo, spokeswoman for the zoo.

Dulary was transferred in 2007 to the Elephant Sanctuary, a 2,700-acre habitat in Hohenwald, about 85 miles southwest of Nashville.

Zoo officials had decided they could not afford to build a larger habitat to replace the half-acre home for its elephants, and they were relocated except for one that died before moving.

On Sunday morning, Dulary was found lying down in the Asian elephant barn, officials said. She had experienced health issues during the year but appeared fine the night before.

Staffers were unable to get Dulary to stand. She was provided supportive care while testing was performed and Philadelphia Zoo veterinary staff was consulted. She was monitored through the night but died Monday morning.

According to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Asian elephants can live to be 60 years old in the wild, but most do not live that long.

Dulary was born wild in Thailand in 1963 and was captured as an infant. She made brief stops in India and Germany before arriving in Philadelphia the following year.

The Philadelphia Zoo sent two African elephants, Bette and Kallie, to the Pittsburgh Zoo's conservation center in Somerset County. A third African elephant, Petal, died before making the trip.

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