The Thai elephant embassador “Hanako,” who was kept alone at a Tokyo zoo and was without the company of other elephants for most of her life, died at 69 yesterday.
In 1949, when she was only two years old, Hanako was sent as a gift from Thailand to help heal Japanese children that were traumatized after World War II.
Photo: MCOT
Hanako, who some Thais respectfully referred to as “Grandma Hanako,” was regarded as a goodwill ambassador. She was kept alone at Inokashira Park Zoo in Western Tokyo since 1954, where she was a popular attraction for Japanese children until her last day, according to MCOT.
Hanako’s living conditions made headlines in December of last year when a Thai tourist visited her and posted a photo of her solitary confinement online, prompting animal activists to petition to bring Hanako home.
The petition was dropped after it was revealed that relocating Hanako would be risky to her health because of her old age.
Today on social media, Thais mourns for Hanako, the elephant ambassador who was ironically named “the loneliest elephant in the world.”
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