Australia’s oldest elephant Tricia dies aged 65 at Perth Zoo

The sad news was confirmed by Perth Zoo after she suddenly became unwell.

Australia’s oldest elephant has died aged 65.

The sad news was confirmed by Perth Zoo after she suddenly became unwell.

At 65 years old, Tricia was the oldest elephant to be cared for by a zoo in Australasia and one of the oldest elephants in the world.

Tricia underwent close monitoring of her health throughout her twilight years, having brought joy to generations of visitors.

Tricia the Asian Elephant. (AAP Image/Tom Rabe)

As one of the zoo’s oldest residents, she had been receiving treatment and supportive care for various age-related complaints.

However, keepers and veterinarian staff reported over the last week that her health had deteriorated rapidly.

Tricia was born in Vietnam in 1957 and arrived in Perth in 1963. She was named after Miss Australia 1962, Tricia Reschke.

Tricia the elephant is pictured with zookeeper Mark True in 1986. Picture: J.Cowa

In 2018, Perth Zoo announced it would no longer house any elephants after Tricia’s death.

The decision was made in conjunction with a broader move towards “herd-enclosures” internationally.

At the time, then-environment minister Stephen Dawson explained the relatively smaller size of the zoo meant it couldn’t accommodate a functioning herd with multiple elephants.