Three month old Baby elephant Lola was due to receive groundbreaking surgery for her condition but passed away during a preliminary scan. Keepers at Munich's Hellabrunn Zoo decided to return her body to the enclosure so mother Panang, 22, could say her goodbyes in peace.
Zoo director and veterinarian Dr Andreas Knieriem explained how baby Lola died after three days of treatment by experts."Considering the pathology, it has to be said it's a miracle that she lived as long as she did," said Dr. Knieriem. 'Her arteries were so blocked that blood couldn't flow through her lungs anymore.'
A 2005 study in the UK found the creatures displayed traits similar to humans and, coming across the remains of an elephant, would gently touch the skull and tusks with their trunks and feet. They are also believed to display a ritual around death, with several elephants travelling to visit a dead body and touching the corpse with their trunks. Some elephants have been seen to weep and others make sounds associated with grief as they cover the body with leaves and branches before keeping a silent vigil.
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