PHOENIX — A beloved Asian elephant that has been a mainstay at Phoenix Zoo for over two decades has died, the zoo said Thursday.
Reba was euthanized this week after a severe decline in her health. She was 51.
“Reba is incredibly intelligent and probably most well-known as the elephant who enjoys a fire hose shower during our Winter in July celebration,” says elephant manager Heather Wright.
“She has a larger than life personality and is by far the most vocal elephant in the barn.”
Reba arrived in Phoenix in 1999 from the Ringling Brothers Center for Elephant Conservation, which is based in Florida.
Asian elephants are listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to poaching and habitat loss.
There’s an estimated worldwide population of 30,000 and 50,000 Asian elephants.
