Katka, a 56 - year - old African elephant considered the oldest elephant living in a European zoo, died after a long period of health problems, the Gdansk zoo in Poland announced.
The notification of Katka's death, which was an African Savannah elephant, was made through posting on social media, with the emphasis that the elephant was facing serious health problems since 2019.
The zoo workers said goodbye to Katka as a "noble giant", stressing that she left behind much more than mere memories.
“He left behind not only beautiful memories, but above all a huge amount of love, which he gave to all those who had the chance to get to know her and offer her a piece of their heart,” they said.
The zoo officials stressed that Katka stood out not only for her age, but also for her character. "It was special not only because of her age, but mainly because of her unique personality," they noted.
At the same time, they pointed out that the fight to maintain her health continued until the last moment. "We fought for her health until the end. Every day our workers gave their best, devoting their whole heart and 150% of their potential to care for her," the announcement said.
He had arrived in Poland in 2006Katka had arrived in Gdansk in 2006. Before settling in Poland, he had lived in the Czech Republic (transferred there from Kenya and stayed at the Dur Kralove Zoo from 1971 to 1998) and France (stayed at the La Flesh Zoo from 1998 to 2006).
Because of the different countries in which she had been hosted, she had learned to obey orders in three different languages, which was one of her particularities.
For zoo workers, Katka was not just an animal under their care.
"Katka was more than an animal for us. Over the years he became part of our everyday life, our work and the family of the zoo. She left behind countless memories and touching moments that we will remember for many years," the announcement concluded.