Delhi's lone African elephant Shankar dies after years in isolation

Shankar, the Delhi zoo's lone African elephant, died Wednesday evening after collapsing, hours after refusing food. Veterinary staff attempted to revive him, but the 29-year-old male died within about 40 minutes, officials said. A formal inquiry into the cause of death has been ordered.

For roughly 24 years, Shankar lived largely in isolation at the national zoo, with at least 13 of those years spent in solitary confinement. The cause of his death remains under investigation, zoo officials said.

Shankar arrived in India in 1998 as a diplomatic gift from Zimbabwe to former President Shankar Dayal Sharma. His companion died in 2001. After that, he was briefly lodged with Asian elephants, but the two groups were aggressive toward one another and Shankar was soon isolated. He was described by a former zoo official as playful when his companion was present, and more withdrawn when alone.

In 2009, India imposed a federal ban on keeping elephants alone for more than six months. In 2012, Shankar was moved to a new enclosure that left him virtually in solitary confinement, where he remained until his death.

Activists have long pressed for Shankar’s relocation to a wildlife sanctuary with other African elephants. A 2021 petition in Delhi’s high court sought his relocation; a 2023 ruling directed petitioners to approach the committee that handles transfers of wild animals by zoos. By late 2024, the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums suspended the Delhi zoo’s membership over concerns about Shankar’s living conditions, giving the zoo until April 2025 to relocate him or improve care. Officials said they had not received further notices from the global body.

A day after the suspension notice, a federal minister inspected Shankar’s enclosure and said his health looked better. On Oct. 15, the government announced plans to bring him a female companion, with Zimbabwe and Botswana showing interest and formalities underway. Officials in Delhi zoo said they did not receive additional notices from the international body, and Shankar died before a companion could be arranged.

Reaction to the death highlighted welfare concerns. Activists characterized the loss as preventable and cited a history of neglect. Nikita Dhawan, founder of Youth For Animals, said: "It was easily preventable. He did not have any serious health problems, and he was too young." Gauri Maulekhi, an animal welfare advocate, described Shankar’s death as "a systemic failure" and called for accountability beyond internal inquiries.

The deaths come amid ongoing debate about the ethics of keeping highly social, long-lived species such as elephants in captivity. The average life expectancy for African elephants is about 70 years, and experts say chronic isolation can affect behavior and health. Sanjeet Kumar, Delhi zoo’s director, said there was "no report of sickness or abnormal behaviour" in Shankar’s case prior to Wednesday morning.

Authorities said an investigation into the death is underway and more details will be released as they become available.