National Zoo Euthanizes Elderly Elephant Kamala Amid Health Decline

The 50-year-old Asian elephant, suffering from severe osteoarthritis, was humanely euthanized after her condition worsened.

Kamala, an Asian elephant at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, was euthanized due to advanced osteoarthritis affecting her mobility and quality of life.
Born in Sri Lanka in the mid-1970s, Kamala was orphaned as a calf and lived in Canada before moving to Washington, D.C., in 2014.
Despite treatments, Kamala's joint condition deteriorated, causing her to remain stationary and in constant pain, prompting the difficult decision by her caretakers.
The zoo's staff fondly remembered Kamala for her intelligence and social bonds within her herd, as well as her interactions with keepers.
Kamala's passing coincides with discussions online about potential omens related to the upcoming U.S. election, given her namesake's political connection.