Shankar, the only African elephant at the Delhi Zoo, has died and an investigation has been ordered to determine the cause of death, officials said on Thursday. Shankar, a male elephant, died on Wednesday night, they said. A personalised diet and activity plan for Shankar will be created based on his behaviour and daily routine. According to zoo sources, Shankar had not been eating properly for the past few days, raising concerns about his health before his passing.
From Africa to Delhi Not much is known about Shankar’s time in Zimbabwe. What is known is that when he was 26-months-old, he was put on a flight from Zimbabwe and presented as a diplomatic gift to the Indian President — Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma in 1998. He was also named Shankar after the president. Shankar was not alone when he first came to the Delhi zoo, he was accompanied by a companion, Bombai. But Bombai, named after the wife of Zimbabwe’s ambassador, died suddenly in 2005 and since then, Shankar has been living a solitary life at the Delhi zoo.