Happy, an Asian elephant at the Bronx Zoo who was at the centre of a landmark legal case over animal personhood, has been euthanised at the age of 55. The Wildlife Conservation Society, which operates the zoo, announced that the decision was made on Tuesday due to progressive, age-related health conditions.
Zoo staff said Happy died peacefully surrounded by keepers, curators and veterinarians who had cared for her, some for more than three decades. Craig Piper, interim director of the Bronx Zoo, described her as a friendly elephant who enjoyed strawberries and watermelons and would greet visitors by lifting her trunk.
Happy gained international attention in 2018 when the Nonhuman Rights Project filed a legal bid to have her released to a sanctuary, arguing she should be granted the legal rights of a person. The case was the first of its kind involving an elephant. New York's highest court ultimately rejected the claim in a 5-2 ruling, but two judges dissented, with one calling her captivity 'inherently unjust and inhumane'.
Beyond the courtroom, Happy was notable for her role in a 2005 study demonstrating that elephants can recognise themselves in a mirror. During the experiment, she repeatedly touched an X painted above her eye that was only visible in the reflection, a sign of self-awareness shared by few other non-human species.
Happy leaves behind her longtime companion, Patty, a 57-year-old elephant. The Wildlife Conservation Society stopped housing elephants in New York zoos two decades ago, meaning Patty is likely to be the last elephant kept in the city.
