Bronx Zoo's Happy the Elephant Euthanized After Health Decline
Happy, a 55-year-old Asian elephant at the Bronx Zoo, was euthanized after a decline in health due to age-related conditions. Happy had lived at the zoo for nearly 50 years and was known for her role in a significant animal behavior study that demonstrated elephants' ability to recognize themselves in mirrors. The zoo reported that Happy's health had deteriorated rapidly, with signs of kidney or liver function decline, arthritis, and large, inoperable uterine tumors. Interim zoo director Craig Piper described Happy as a 'wonderful elephant' and a significant ambassador for elephant conservation. Happy's death leaves Patty, a 57-year-old elephant, as the last of her kind at the zoo. The Wildlife Conservation Society, which oversees the zoo, had decided two decades ago to stop acquiring elephants. 
