World's saddest elephant and the only jumbo in the Philippines dies aged 43

An elephant dubbed the saddest in the world and the only jumbo in the Philippines has died - entertaining gawping zoo visitors until her final breath.

Vishwamali, better known as Maali to locals, was just three years old when she arrived in the capital Manila from Sri Lanka in 1977 as a gift to Imelda Marcos, the notorious shoe-loving wife of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

The Asian elephant lived most of her adult life without companions from the same species and was dubbed as one of the ‘world's saddest' by the non-government organisation People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

Tragically, she died of congestive heart failure on November 28 at the age of 43. She had spent close to half a century in solitude in the grubby enclosure.

Footage taken hours before Mali died shows her using the last remnants of energy in her body to fulfill her duties - greeting children and their parents who visited her at the Manila Zoo on November 27.

Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna said in a video statement: ‘It saddens me to share the news that our beloved Vishwamali, who is better known as Mali, passed away in Manila Zoo at 3:45 p.m. today, November 28.'

Mali's body was taken for necropsy to find more details on her death. Officials said that aside from heart failure, she also suffered from cancer and restricted blood circulation. Her uterus also had pus deposits, while her kidneys were slightly inflamed.

An official from the Manila Zoo, Maali's home for the last 40 years, said: ‘The death of Mali was sudden. Among animals, there's something that we call asymptomatic symptoms, where she could have been experiencing an illness that we could not observe. Animals are not like people who can talk or be asked about their condition.'

Over the last few years, there have been calls for the release of Maali and be sent to a wildlife sanctuary in Thailand, but the appeals were rejected, including a campaign in 2012 supported by British singer Morrissey, who has become an heroic campaigner for the rights of animals.

Then-mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso said in an interview in 2021: ‘It might not be ideal to bring her back to the wild because she grew up in that environment. Maybe it's more harmful to transport her. We will give the best services for her.'

After her death, animal rights group PETA said in a statement: ‘Because of indifference and greed, Mali the elephant died the same way she had lived for nearly 50 years: alone in a concrete pen at the Manila Zoo.

‘PETA, cultural and political leaders, world-renowned elephant experts, and more than 100,000 compassionate people from around the globe all pleaded for Mali's release to a sanctuary where she could have enjoyed the company of other elephants.'

Asian elephants are social animals that live in herds of up to 100 individuals. They are led by a matriarch, who is the oldest and most experienced female in the herd. Herds of Asian elephants roam large areas in search of food and water. They eat a variety of plants, including leaves, fruits, and bark.

Asian elephants are endangered, with only an estimated 48,000 to 51,680 individuals left in the wild. The main threats to Asian elephants are habitat loss, poaching, and conflict with humans.