Quick access to main page (top) Direct access to main contents Quick access to main page (bottom)

South Korea’s Oldest Elephant Sakura Passes Away at 59 at Seoul Grand Park

wikitree Views  

Sakura the oldest elephant in Korea, passed away on the 13th / at Seoul Grand Park

Sakura, the oldest elephant in Korea, was housed at Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, and passed away at 59. In human years, Sakura lived over 90 years and had a close brush with death due to a nail disease last year.

Seoul Grand Park posted an obituary on its website on the 14th, saying, “Sakura, the oldest elephant in Korea, who has received much love, left us yesterday. We thank those who have loved and cared for Sakura over the years and hope you will send her your condolences for her final journey.”

Sakura, an Asian elephant weighing 2.6 tons (approximately 5720 pounds), was born in Thailand in 1965. She performed in a circus at Takarazuka City Zoo in Japan just seven months after her birth. She came to Korea in 2003 when the Japanese zoo closed.

Sakura was shy and introverted. Although she didn’t get along well with the other elephants at Seoul Grand Park, she was treated as a symbol of longevity due to being the oldest animal at the zoo. Among the zookeepers, she was affectionately called “Grandma Elephant.”

Sakura was known to favor humans over other animals, recognizing the faces of her keepers and following them closely.

According to Seoul Grand Park, when her keepers called, “Sakura, come here,” Sakura enjoyed slowly approaching and carefully extending her long trunk to sniff them as if she was worried they might get hurt.

Seoul Grand Park

However, as time went on, Sakura began to struggle more often, spending more time alone and suffering from more ailments.

Several years ago, Sakura developed pododermatitis, an infection caused by bacteria in the toenails, and her condition worsened in September of last year, leading to a terminal diagnosis. Remarkably, she managed to pull through three months later. Pododermatitis is a common illness in elephants, caused by cracks in the toenails, which bear the body’s weight, being infected with bacteria.

The keepers, who stayed by Sakura’s side to treat her and provided her favorite foods such as bamboo and fruits to regain her appetite, did everything they could, but in the end, Sakura closed her eyes for the last time.

wikitree
content@www.kangnamtimes.com

Comments0

300

Comments0

[SOCIETY] Latest Stories

  • Why These Twins Want to Share a Boyfriend—And They’re Totally OK With It
  • How 8 COVID Infections Changed Everything for This Young Woman—Including Her Hair
  • Thai Man Arrested After 20 Years of Illegal Penis Enlargement Procedures
  • 23-Year-Old Woman Ignored Symptoms for a Year, Later Diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma
  • Wife’s Affair Exposed After Vasectomy: Husband Fights for Custody and Assets
  • 77-Year-Old Man Fathers Child with 33-Year-Old Assistant, Family Outraged

Weekly Best Articles

  • E30 M3 Returns: A Fresh Design Brings BMW’s Classic into the Future
  • Lexus LFA’s Legendary Successor: What to Expect from the Upcoming Supercar
  • Renault’s Eco-Friendly Emblème Promises 90% Lower Emissions, 621-Mile Range
  • Honda’s New Passport: Sleek Redesign and 10-Speed Automatic Transmission Coming Soon
  • Tesla’s New Model Y Juniper: Leaked Prototype Hints at Major 2025 Facelift
  • Mercedes-Benz CLA Gets a Chinese Heart—2.0-liter Turbo Gasoline Engine with 250 HP
  • Suzuki’s Grand Vitara Dominion Edition: Enhanced Exterior, Interior, and Hybrid Powertrains
  • 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser: 326-HP Hybrid Engine Powers Off-Road Performance at $90K
  • NCT Dream Stars Share Hilarious Childhood Memories with Kim Jong Kook
  • Han Ji Min Dazzles Fans in All-White Winter Look—See Her Stunning Holiday Photos
  • Kim Jaejoong Breaks Down in Emotional Moment During Concert—Here’s Why
  • Rain Reveals His Luxurious Life—From Expensive Home Tech to Dream Bus Rides

You May Also Like

  • 1
    Suzuki’s Grand Vitara Dominion Edition: Enhanced Exterior, Interior, and Hybrid Powertrains

    TECH 

  • 2
    2024 Toyota Land Cruiser: 326-HP Hybrid Engine Powers Off-Road Performance at $90K

    TECH 

  • 3
    NCT Dream Stars Share Hilarious Childhood Memories with Kim Jong Kook

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 4
    Han Ji Min Dazzles Fans in All-White Winter Look—See Her Stunning Holiday Photos

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 5
    Kim Jaejoong Breaks Down in Emotional Moment During Concert—Here’s Why

    ENTERTAINMENT 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Rain Reveals His Luxurious Life—From Expensive Home Tech to Dream Bus Rides

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 2
    Is Dex the Ultimate Boyfriend? Seohyun Jin Thinks So!

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 3
    Is the Toyota Century SUV Worth the Price? Here’s What You Get for $273,000

    TECH 

  • 4
    Is the Toyota Rumion the Best Value Minivan You Can Buy? Here’s Why It Might Be

    TECH 

  • 5
    Lexus Reveals Sporty New ES Facelift with Aggressive Design Changes

    TECH 

Weekly Best Articles

  • E30 M3 Returns: A Fresh Design Brings BMW’s Classic into the Future
  • Lexus LFA’s Legendary Successor: What to Expect from the Upcoming Supercar
  • Renault’s Eco-Friendly Emblème Promises 90% Lower Emissions, 621-Mile Range
  • Honda’s New Passport: Sleek Redesign and 10-Speed Automatic Transmission Coming Soon
  • Tesla’s New Model Y Juniper: Leaked Prototype Hints at Major 2025 Facelift
  • Mercedes-Benz CLA Gets a Chinese Heart—2.0-liter Turbo Gasoline Engine with 250 HP
  • Suzuki’s Grand Vitara Dominion Edition: Enhanced Exterior, Interior, and Hybrid Powertrains
  • 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser: 326-HP Hybrid Engine Powers Off-Road Performance at $90K
  • NCT Dream Stars Share Hilarious Childhood Memories with Kim Jong Kook
  • Han Ji Min Dazzles Fans in All-White Winter Look—See Her Stunning Holiday Photos
  • Kim Jaejoong Breaks Down in Emotional Moment During Concert—Here’s Why
  • Rain Reveals His Luxurious Life—From Expensive Home Tech to Dream Bus Rides

Must-Reads

  • 1
    Suzuki’s Grand Vitara Dominion Edition: Enhanced Exterior, Interior, and Hybrid Powertrains

    TECH 

  • 2
    2024 Toyota Land Cruiser: 326-HP Hybrid Engine Powers Off-Road Performance at $90K

    TECH 

  • 3
    NCT Dream Stars Share Hilarious Childhood Memories with Kim Jong Kook

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 4
    Han Ji Min Dazzles Fans in All-White Winter Look—See Her Stunning Holiday Photos

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 5
    Kim Jaejoong Breaks Down in Emotional Moment During Concert—Here’s Why

    ENTERTAINMENT 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Rain Reveals His Luxurious Life—From Expensive Home Tech to Dream Bus Rides

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 2
    Is Dex the Ultimate Boyfriend? Seohyun Jin Thinks So!

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 3
    Is the Toyota Century SUV Worth the Price? Here’s What You Get for $273,000

    TECH 

  • 4
    Is the Toyota Rumion the Best Value Minivan You Can Buy? Here’s Why It Might Be

    TECH 

  • 5
    Lexus Reveals Sporty New ES Facelift with Aggressive Design Changes

    TECH 

Share it on...