Beloved Little Rock Zoo Asian elephant Sophie enters hospice care due to incurable disease

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Little Rock Zoo announced Sophie the elephant, a beloved long-term resident, is approaching the end stage of her life.

On Monday, zoo officials said Sophie was placed on hospice care after a pyometra infection, which infects the uterus and is non-operable in elephants, has caused her heath to decline.

Most elephants that are diagnosed with the incurable pyometra do not live longer than a year, but Sophie has lived seven years with the disease at the Little Rock Zoo as a “medical miracle,” according to zoo staff who have been able to manage the progression and prolonged care.

Recently, zoo staff said they have noticed a firm mass in Sophie’s belly, a loss of muscle and blood protein levels are lower than normal indicting the progression of the disease.

In the release, zoo representatives said that based on evaluation, staff could choose humane euthanasia to peacefully end Sophie’s life or she could pass on her own.

“Zoo staff evaluate Sophie daily for quality of life and are letting her guide the way on next steps,” the release read. “Two full-time veterinarians are on-call every day of the week to attend to Sophie and the disease is being managed as best as possible with pain medications and antibiotics.”

Sophie and her companion Babe joined Zina in 2013 at the Little Rock Zoo after all three were retired from Ringling Brother Barnum and Bailey Show.

The Little Rock Zoo is credited in having expertise in caring for geriatric elephants. Sophie is estimated to be 55 to 56, Babe is 49 and Zina will turn 64 at the end of this month. Most female Asian elephants’ life expectancy is 49, according to zoo officials.

Sophie can still be seen at the zoo’s elephant habitat. She has the freedom to roam in between her outside yard and her enclosure, according to staff.

Once Sophie passes, the zoo will be closed to the public so staff can conduct a necropsy to gain more insight on the cause of death.

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