Advertisement Greenville Zoo's last elephant dies en route to new home Joy was on her way to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The last African elephant to make its home at the Greenville Zoo has passed away while moving to another zoo.A statement released by the Greenville Zoo Sunday afternoon stated that the 44-year-old elephant known as "Joy" died suddenly while being transferred to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colorado.She was being transported because both zoos believed she would receive better geriatric care and have more opportunities for socialization at her new home.“Our entire zoo family is heartbroken over this profound loss,” said Jeff Bullock, Greenville Zoo Director. “(Joy) will be mourned not only by our community, but also the Colorado Springs community who were excited to welcome her to their family.”Zoo officials said it is rare for an animal to die while being transported.Bullock said around 11:30 Saturday night, he received a call from the elephant manager, who was one of two zoo employees accompanying her during the transfer. "She told me Joy had passed," Bullock said. "They checked on her while they were fueling up somewhere between Amarillo, Texas and Colorado Springs.Bullock said Joy appeared fine when they checked on her two to three hours earlier."She was eating hay and everything seemed fine," Bullock told WYFF.“We knew there was risk involved in transporting (Joy) because of her age,” Bob Chastain, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo President and CEO, said. “But we also knew that she deserved the very best end-of-life care, and we wanted the chance to give that to her. We are sad for both the community of Greenville, as they mourn the loss of an elephant they knew for almost her entire life, and for the community of Colorado Springs, who will never get a chance to meet her.”Chastain said Joy was monitored along the way."Despite all the precautions taken, (Joy) passed so quickly that nothing could be done for her,” Chastain said. A necropsy, post-mortem examination, will be performed by both Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Greenville Zoo veterinary staff to determine Joni’s cause of death.