August 12 marks the World Elephant Day, which was launched to bring attention to the urgent plight of Asian and African elephants and call for people to help conserve and protect elephants from the numerous threats they face.
Recently, Guangzhou has been mourning the loss of Bao Long, a cherished Asian elephant who resided at Guangzhou Zoo for nearly five decades.
In a statement released on Tuesday night, Guangzhou Zoo said that Bao Long, who had been a fixture at the zoo for 48 years, collapsed and became unable to stand while playing on July 24. Zoo staff, along with veterinarians and other experts, made every effort to save him, but Bao Long died the following morning at the age of 48.
An autopsy revealed that Bao Long died from cardiopulmonary failure and a left lung lobe injury caused by a rib fracture.
The news of Bao Long's death has saddened many residents, who have taken to social media to express their grief.
Bao Long grew together with Guangzhou for his whole life
For decades, Bao Long had been a cherished resident of Guangzhou Zoo, becoming a well-known figure in the city. Many residents took photos of Bao Long and shared them online, turning the elephant into a local celebrity.
Bao Long was born at Guangzhou Zoo in 1976 to parents from India and Vietnam. In 1956, then-Premier Zhou Enlai transferred an Asian elephant named Ba Bao, or Eight Treasures — a gift from then-Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru — to Guangzhou Zoo. On June 1, 1962, then-Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh gave a 20-year-old female Asian elephant named Yi Long to Chinese children as a festival gift. Zhou instructed that the elephant be allowed to live at Guangzhou Zoo, with the pair forming the foundation of the zoo's Asian elephant breeding program.
The logo of Guangzhou Zoo features an elephant, symbolizing its long history with the majestic creatures. In May 1966, Guangzhou Zoo successfully bred an Asian elephant for the first time in China. Subsequent births occurred in October 1969, April 1976, and November 1980. While the first two elephants were transferred to other zoos, the youngest two, Bao Long and Yue Long, remained at the zoo.
Bao Long's parents died in 1983, and their bodies were subsequently preserved as specimens at the Museum of Biology at Guangzhou's Sun Yat-sen University.
Bao Long in the movie Love Never Ends
In addition to being a beloved figure at the zoo, Bao Long made a guest appearance in the 2023 movie Love Never Ends, sharing a scene with lead actor Ni Dahong and Hong Kong actress Kara Wai at the zoo's elephant pavilion.
Although Bao Long has passed away, Guangzhou Zoo plans to preserve its body as specimens, which means Bao Long may accompany Guangzhou residents in another way in the future.
Reporter | Nancy Ye
Editor | Nina, Will, James
Photo | Guangzhou Zoo
