Milwaukee County zookeepers made the decision to humanely euthanize Brittany, a 45-year-old African savanna elephant, April 10 after her health declined.
Brittany was one of the longest-tenured animals at the Milwaukee County Zoo, arriving in 2001 from Greenville Zoo in South Carolina. She lived beyond the median lifespan of 39.4 years for an African savanna elephant in human care.
“Her care team reflects that Brittany was a patient elephant. She was often the first elephant that zookeepers worked with, because she was incredibly tolerant of new people learning her cues and behaviors,” a statement from the zoo reads. “Brittany liked her daily routine and aimed to please zookeepers as she worked to do what was asked of her. She made zookeepers laugh when she would carry sticks on her back to use them later, at a different time.”
The zoo announced April 2 that Brittany’s health had been declining since January. She was losing weight, and skin lesions were multiplying and not responding to treatment. Her care team was giving her antibiotics and pain medication, the zoo said at the time.
“In recent months as her health declined, Brittany would look to her zookeepers for comfort and reassurance, often holding her trunk out to be held, especially as more was asked of her by the veterinary team while they worked to treat her symptoms,” the zoo said.
During the euthanasia process, zookeepers and the zoo’s other elephant, Belle, had a chance to say goodbye to her, the zoo said.
Brittany’s death follows the death of one of the zoo’s other beloved geriatric elephants, Ruth, who was euthanized in September after suffering a couple of falls.
Brittany’s death leaves only Belle, who is around the same age, at the zoo. Belle joined the herd in 2019.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brittany, Milwaukee County Zoo elephant, dies at 45
Reporting by Sophie Carson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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