An elephant, dubbed the "world's saddest" by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), has died. The Independent said in a report that the elephant named Vishwa Ma'ali, or just Mali for short, lived alone in a zoo Manila, in the Philippines. The elephant was estimated to be 43 when she died, though her exact age remains unknown, said the outlet. Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna held a press conference to announce the death of the elephant, saying she died at 3.45pm on Tuesday.
"Mali was our prized possession and was the star attraction here at the Manila Zoo. It saddens me because she was part of our lives," Ms Lacuna told reporters.
Numerous campaigns were launched across the world to relocate the elephant amid concerns about her lonely life and treatment by zoo authorities but she spent decades in solitude.
Paul McCartney, who was part of The Beatles, had written to the President of the Philippines in 2012 pushing for the Asian elephant's early release and transfer to another country, but authorities warned against any such move, said The Independent in its report.
The outlet spoke to the zoo's chief vet Dr Heinrich Patrick Pena-Domingo, who said that Mali was noticed rubbing her trunk against a wall constantly, suggesting she was in pain.
The elephant's condition worsened on Tuesday, breathing heavily. An autopsy later revealed that Mali had pancreatic cancer.
According to the BBC, Mali was gifted to the Philippine's former first lady Imelda Marcos by the Sri Lankan government in 1981. The elephant was 11 months old at that time.
She spent her early days with another elephant, Shiva, who had been living in the zoo since 1977 and who died in 1990. Mali lived alone since then.
