Thai baby elephant owned by Queen of Denmark and King of Sweden dies
The royal elephant cub Prince has died at Swedish Kolmården Zoo after becoming ill last Friday. Aftonbladet writes.
The prince’s mother is Bua, which Carl XVI Gustaf received as a gift from the King of Thailand in 2004. The father’s name is Tonsak, also a gift from Thailand but to Denmark’s Queen Margrethe. Both elephants live in Kolmården Zoo in Sweden. Since the elephant was a descendant of both the Danish queen and the Swedish king’s elephant, Prince was actually owned by both, but it was clarified shortly after the elephant’s birth that the Swedish king would become the official owner and that the elephant would live in Sweden.
After the vets noticed that something was wrong with the 1-year-old and 9-month-old elephant, different treatments were started but nothing helped. Prince died this week after a rapid illness.
Christine Karmfalk, CEO of Kolmården says, “Ever since his birth, Prince has been loved. He has given such joy, not only to us who work at Kolmården but to all our guests. It is a great sorrow for the herd of elephants, all the caretakers who have taken care of him since birth and for all of us who have experienced his wonderful personality at Kolmården. Our playful elephant boy has left us ”.
It is unclear what caused the death. The body has been sent to the Swedish Veterinary Institute (SVA) for examination.