† Rocco is a dead Male ♂ Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), , who died 2011-02-21 at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park (Sabah Zoo), in Malaysia, . Official death reason described as due to prolonged recumbency.
Rocco was born wild 1984-00-00, captured 1991 .
Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) senior chief veterinarian, Dr Sen Nathan told the Borneo Post yesterday that the elephant, estimated to be around 27 years old, died less than 24 hours after displaying signs of sudden weakness which led to recumbency. “We treated him with emergency Intravenous and subcutaneous fluid therapy,” he said. However, the elephant succumbed and died the next day at about 3.30am. He explained that the cause of death was due to prolonged recumbency as a sequel to sudden weakness due to the elephant’s immense body weight. He said that staying on its side for prolonged periods can put pressure on their internal organs and cause respiratory and circulatory failure throughout the body. “We have already sent samples to the Veterinary Service Department’s Animal Disease Research Center. We are awaiting the results from bacteriological investigations,” he said. For the past three years, Rocco has been off exhibit as developing Musth and has to be kept off exhibit , he said. “One good thing from his life in captivity is having left behind three beautiful baby elephants – two female elephants, Sumandak and Amoi and a male, Ganesh,” he said.
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