Why strolling elephant brought to UI zoo died

By Nneka Nwogwugwu

The elephant that was said to have strolled from Benin Republic to a farm located in the Saki West Local Government Area of Oyo State is dead.

The Director of the University of Ibadan (UI) Zoological Garden, Dr Kabir Popoola, confirmed the death of the animal on Friday.

The elephant was said to have migrated to the area from around the Republic of Benin and the farmers who found it drew the attention of the people in the town to it.

It was said to have been transported from the bush to the UI zoo some weeks back.

Some Nigerians who reacted to the death, said the way it was transported was not ideal, suspecting that the animal died of stress.

But the Director of UI Zoological Garden said the post-mortem test had been done to know the cause of its death.

Speaking to the Punch, the director said, “The information (that the elephant died) is correct. The elephant was rescued and brought to the zoo.

“What will be done to the animal is what we are still ruminating over. I have been to the Anatomy Department to find out what they can do. We have done the post mortem.

“We are trying to see how we can get its bones to see whether we can do skeleton of it. That will take some time.

“Elephants are not animals that are very common around. So, it is a special animal. The essence of doing this is educational purposes and research. We are saddened by what happened.”

Popoola also added, “We have removed the tusk and it is being kept under a tight security in the university. Nobody stole it.”