COLORADO SPRINGS - Joni, an elderly elephant being relocated from South Carolina to Colorado Springs to receive geriatric care at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, died in transit Sunday.
Greenville Zoo in South Carolina had been Joni's home for since her birth 44 years ago. According to a press release from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Joni was the only elephant left at the Greenville Zoo. Joni was being moved to socialize with other elephants and improve her overall quality of life.
"We knew there was a risk involved in transporting Joni because of her age," Bob Chastain, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo President and CEO said in an interview with Cheyenne Mountain Zoo officials. "But we also knew that she deserved the very best end-of-life care and we wanted to give that to her."
According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums "having an animal pass away during transport is a rare occurrence."
Officials say that they took extensive precautions to ensure Joni made the journey to Colorado safely, however, she died so suddenly they did not get a chance to treat her.
"They monitored her at every stop, and nine zoos along the way were on standby to help them if the need arose," Chastain said in an interview with Cheyenne Mountain Zoo officials.
"We are sad for both the community of Greenville, as they mourn the loss of an elephant they knew for almost her entire life, and for the community of Colorado Springs, who will never get a chance to meet he," Chastain said in an interview with Cheyenne Mountain Zoo officials.
(KUSA-TV © 2014 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)
