How did Shankar the African elephant die in Delhi Zoo? Probe ordered to find out

The zoo authorities have said that it continued to consume fruits, vegetables and concentrate normally. “Treatment was given by the veterinary team and the animal was under observation of the animal keeping staff,” reads the statement.

Around 7.25 pm, Shankar collapsed inside his enclosure and, despite emergency treatment, succumbed by 8 pm. “There was no report of sickness or abnormal behaviour till September 16,” zoo director Dr Sanjeet Kumar said.

The post-mortem is being conducted by experts from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, the zoo’s health advisory committee and a representative of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The carcass will be disposed of after required samples are collected, officials said.

“Shankar was a symbol of strength, wisdom & love and many members of zoo community were attached emotionally. The void left by his loss will be deeply felt by zoo team, visitors, and the entire conservation community,” the statement says.

Shankar, brought from Zimbabwe in November 1998, had been part of the zoo for 27 years. The animal was a diplomatic gift to former president Shankar Dayal Sharma. In 2012, after reaching adolescence, Shankar was separated from its Asian counterparts in Delhi zoo and was kept in a separate, solitary enclosure since then.

Over the years, it has been at the centre of controversy with appeals by conservationists for its release.

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