According to a Facebook post by Giza Zoo’s official page, forty-year-old Naeema the elephant has passed away due to a heart attack earlier this week. Naeema was the only remaining elephant in Giza Zoo. The great African elephant suffered from pain prompting her to lay down on her side before passing away on Sunday. The zoo was previously home to a 60-year-old Asian elephant which also passed away in 2016. Another modern elephant officially attested to exist in Egypt was Karima, a female elephant who lived in Alexandria zoo until the age of 63. Although African and Asian elephants bear many similarities, the two species of the largest mammal walking the earth can be distinguished by the shape of their ears, head, and tusks. Elephants, along with various large mammals such as hippopotami, lions and rhinoceroses naturally existed at different periods in ancient Egypt, when the climate was wetter and especially more Savannah-like at the beginning of Egyptian history, prior to their gradual extinction. “There certainly will be efforts with the agriculture ministry to bring new animals,” to the zoo,” Ragaey said as per Al Ahram. The Giza Zoo functions…
