Staff at the Zoo Miami is mourning the loss of “Lisa,” a 44-year-old African elephant.
Zoo officials said Lisa died shortly after lying down on her side in the elephant barn. The female elephant had been under close watch since July 12th, after being found on the ground and unable to stand on her own feet.
An extensive necropsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death.
Lisa arrived to Zoo Miami, along with another elephant named “Cita,” last April from the Virginia Zoo to spend their retirement. Lisa and Cita joined two other elephants in Zoo Miami’s African exhibit, where the group was nicknamed “The Golden Girls” due to being older in age and living in retirement.
“This is a great loss to our community and we thank our staff and Zoo Miami staff who played a part in Lisa’s health and welfare,” said Virginia Zoo officials in a statement.
The results of Lisa’s tests will not be known for several weeks.
