HOHENWALD, Tenn. (WKRN) – The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee is mourning the sudden death of one of its African elephants.

Donna, an African elephant, came to the sanctuary from the Oakland Zoo, although she was born in the wilds of Zimbabwe in 1980. A Facebook post from the sanctuary announcing Donna’s sudden death Friday said Donna loved her herdmates and had a penchant for rolling in the mud. Donna was often covered in them and loved to dig wallows.

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“Donna was a valued member of the Oakland Zoo family for 34 years before moving to Tennessee,” said Nik Dehejia, Oakland Zoo CEO. “I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to her animal care team and volunteers in Oakland for their dedication throughout her life in Oakland, and to The Sanctuary team for their support over the last 15 months, especially during these challenging days.”

The Tennessee Elephant Sanctuary said Donna was in good health except for age-related arthritis, which was well treated. Donna had developed mild edema two weeks ago and the staff performed a complete blood test which only revealed a higher white blood cell count. Donna began a course of antibiotics, which she tolerated well. The edema resolved, she ate and behaved normally; The blood test was scheduled for next week.

On Tuesday morning, staff said Donna came into her stall and began eating as usual. However, a short time later, employees noticed a change in their behavior. Veterinary and nursing managers were immediately called, but Donna ultimately died around 9:30 a.m. on Christmas Eve.

“Donna was deeply loved by her nursing staff and everyone who had the privilege of knowing her,” said Janice Zeitlin, CEO of The Sanctuary. “We are heartbroken by her sudden death. We remain committed to understanding the reason for her death and honoring Donna’s memory. Thank you for your compassion and support during this difficult time.”

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The sanctuary said an autopsy was performed on Donna on Wednesday with help from the University of Georgia. Autopsy results will be shared as soon as they become available.

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