Sophie the Elephant Enters Hospice Care

Advanced Disease Progression Contributes to Declining Health

LITTLE ROCK (July 15, 2024) – Sophie the elephant at the Little Rock Zoo has been placed on hospice care. A pyometra infection has caused her progressive decline and staff are administering comfort care for the end stage of her life.

Sophie was first diagnosed with pyometra more than seven years ago. Most elephants survive less than a year with this condition. Zoo staff were able to manage the progression of the disease and provide prolonged care for Sophie for what is considered a medical miracle in elephant veterinary medicine. The disease, which infects the uterus, is non-operable in elephants and is incurable.

In the last few weeks Zoo staff observed that a firm mass had developed in Sophie’s belly, likely because of the progression of the disease. Blood protein levels taken from Sophie are lower than normal, also indicating disease progression. Sophie has also lost significant muscle mass from muscle wasting created from fighting a chronic disease.

Zoo staff evaluate Sophie daily for quality of life and are letting her guide the way on next steps. Two full-time veterinarians are on-call every day of the week to attend to Sophie and the disease is being managed as best as possible with pain medications and antibiotics. Based on evaluation, Zoo staff could choose humane euthanasia to peacefully end Sophie’s life or Sophie could pass on her own.

At the time of Sophie’s passing, the Zoo will be closed to the public so that Zoo staff can conduct a necropsy. The Zoo conducts necropsies on animals after their passing to gain insight on cause of death and to collect samples for research. 

Sophie and her companion, Babe, came to the Little Rock Zoo in 2013 from the Niabi Zoo to join Zina. All three elephants are retired circus elephants from Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Show who are of advanced age and require geriatric care. The Little Rock Zoo has long been recognized for its expertise in caring for geriatric elephants.

Because she is wild caught, Sophie’s estimated age is 55 to 56. At this age she has outlived most of her counterparts living in accredited Zoos. The mean life expectancy for a female Asian elephant is 47-years-old. Babe is 49 and Zina will turn 64 at the end of July.

Sophie can currently be seen in the elephant habitat at the Little Rock Zoo. She has the freedom to roam in between her outside yard and her enclosure as she pleases. 

About the Zoo

The Little Rock Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.  Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you and a better future for all living things.  With its more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation and your link to helping animals in their native habitats.  For more information, visit www.aza.org.