How old is the oldest elephant in the world

Recently, in early July one of the residents of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, Shirley , celebrated her 70 th birthday. Shirley spent her early years as a captive elephant used for performances in various circuses.

Unfortunately, Shirley suffered several injuries while being used as a circus animal, including severe burns on her back and legs. Shirley remained at the zoo for 22 years before finally being moved to The Elephant Sanctuary in , where she joined three other elephants named Tarra, Jenny, and Barbara.

Upon her arrival, Shirley recognized Jenny and after some research the sanctuary determined that she and Jenny had been in the same circus. The camp used Indira to help capture and tame other wild elephants due to her docile nature.

Since Indira was found in the wild, she lacks the proper documents citing her age. At the time of her death in , one of the vets at the camp, Dr. Vinay, estimated that Indira was probably between 85 — 90 years old.

Vinay said that Indira had stopped eating in early January and eventually became too weak to recover. Indira was fed a healthy diet of greens, paddy stock, raw rice, jaggery [cane sugar] and salt.

Although people claim there are other elephants older than Lin Wang , he is currently still listed by the Guinness World Records as the oldest elephant in captivity. Lin Wang died in at the age of 86 and spent the later part of his life living comfortably at the Taipei Zoo in Taiwan.

Lin Wang, along with 12 other elephants, were initially being used by the Japanese army to transport supplies and pull artillery pieces. In , when Lin Wang was the last elephant remaining elephant from the war, the Chinese army decided to gift him to the Taipei Zoo. Lin Wang spent the rest of his life at the zoo and became a the most beloved and famous animal in Taiwan. Considered one of the national treasures of India, the 86 year old elephant named Dakshayani is currently the oldest known elephant in the world.

TDB also said that Dakshayani would be moved into nicer and more spacious chain-free enclosure to help her live a long and healthy life. The Travancore Devaswom Board, which runs the temple where she lived, says she was the oldest elephant in captivity and estimated her age at Another elephant, Indira, died in India's Karnataka state in and was reportedly aged "between 85 and 90".

However conservationists say many elephants suffer in poor conditions. UK-based group Action for Elephants says around elephants are held in Indian temples , particularly in Kerala state, and live in "generally abysmal living conditions". India's first elephant hospital. Elephant tourism is 'fuelling cruelty'. Dakshayani, pictured here in , lived at the Chengalloor Mahadeva Temple in southern Kerala state.

Officials said Tim, who had one of the largest tusks in Africa, was unassuming, unpretentious, laid back and loved all across Kenya and Africa. World , Africa Kenya's oldest elephant dies at 50 Tim was unassuming, unpretentious, loved by many, says wildlife officials Andrew Wasike Please contact us for subscription options.

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