Zoo Knoxville's last elephant, Tonka, a 46-year-old African elephant and the largest male of his kind in North America, has recently been placed under hospice care, the zoo officially announced. No longer on display for zoo-goers, Tonka's health has taken a turn for the worse, prompting the decision for him to spend his final days resting quietly away from the public eye, after a sudden and acute onset of pain with swelling in his left front leg on April 29.
Despite the efforts of the elephant's care team and the veterinary specialists from The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, administering a full spectrum of available treatments and pain management strategies, they have now reached a point where further medical intervention would be more of a burden than a relief to the elderly elephant. According to WBIR, after maxing out the safe dosages of pain medications, the zoo made the compassionate choice to cease curative treatment and provide palliative care, moving Tonka to a hospice environment.
"This is certainly not the outcome we had hoped and planned for," Zoo Knoxville's director of animal care, conservation and education, Phil Colclough, said in a statement prior to the chilling discovery on Sunday. "However, as difficult as this decision was, it is the most compassionate thing we can do for Tonka. As we are faced with end-of-life decisions, we will consider his well-being every step of the way to make sure that we are doing what is best for him," Colclough told WATE.
Tonka's deterioration comes after Zoo Knoxville had previously made plans in 2022 to transfer their aging elephants to The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee. Tragically, the other elephants, Jana and Edie, both passed away following their respective relocations – Jana euthanized due to a rapid decline in her health and Edie bidding farewell in November. Now, Tonka, who was also being prepared for sanctuary life, is under the continuous care of his devoted team, ensuring his comfort is prioritized during these somber times. As reported by WVLT, the team is dedicated to monitoring his quality of life closely.
