Rani, Missouri’s Beloved Elephant, Dies Aged 27 After A Tragic Encounter Caused By Stray Dog

Rani, the beloved Asian elephant, spent over 20 years at the Saint Louis Zoo's River's Edge habitat, where she enjoyed a life in the spotlight.

Asian elephants, like Rani, are among the largest land mammals globally, but on a recent fateful Friday, it was a much smaller visitor that seemed to trigger a tragic chain of events.

A stray dog found its way into the zoo one Friday afternoon, eventually venturing near the Elephant Barn, a restricted area not open to the public. The zoo reported that the dog's presence, and the subsequent efforts to capture it, caused distress to one of the elephants outside the barn.

As the effort to retrieve the lost dog unfolded outside, Rani was peacefully enjoying her dinner in her enclosure. However, the distressed cries of her fellow elephants appeared to reach her sensitive ears, and the Elephant Care team witnessed her growing agitated in response. Rani, a 27-year-old elephant, briefly circled and vocalized before collapsing, according to CBS News.

The dedicated care team sprang into action to provide emergency assistance, but their efforts couldn't save Rani, leaving Saint Louis Zoo Director Michael Macek to express his devastation.

Following her collapse, Rani's human care team and her elephant family spent the evening bidding her farewell. Katie Pilgram-Kloppe, zoological manager of the River's Edge, spoke fondly of Rani, highlighting her special place in the elephant family. 

“Rani was a special member of this elephant family group. She loved playing with her sisters Maliha and Priya. While growing up here in St. Louis, she got to learn from her own mom, Ellie, on how to be an amazing mother herself. She had a great relationship with her animal-care team and all of the other elephants. When socializing with her family she made a unique squeaking noise that her daughter Jade also mimics.”

Her unique squeaking noise during family interactions was also emulated by her daughter, Jade.

Preliminary results from Rani's necropsy indicated some preexisting heart changes, although further testing will be carried out to determine their role in her passing.

Rani's departure leaves eight members in the River's Edge elephant family, including her mother, daughter, and her father, Raja.

Asian elephants, like Rani, are increasingly rare due to poaching and habitat loss. The World Wildlife Fund estimates that there are only 40,000 to 50,000 Asian elephants left in the wild.

The zoo reported that following Rani's passing, the rest of the herd has calmed down and is doing well. The stray dog that entered the zoo has been captured and taken to a local shelter, though it remains unclear how it managed to enter the zoo.

Rani’s journey to St. Louis began in 2001 when she was just 5 years old. She arrived with her mother, Ellie, from the Jacksonville Zoo, ready for a new chapter at the River's Edge. 

This incredible wildlife habitat was once described as a luxurious retreat for elephants, often likened to a "Club Med for Elephants." Rani, pronounced as "Ronnie," thrived in this environment, growing into adulthood and even becoming a mother, continuing the legacy of her endangered species for three generations.