An elephant is starving to death because the zoo where she lives cannot afford to feed her and will not accept donations.

Ruperta is a gaunt figure in the elephant enclosure at Caricuao Zoo in the Venezuelan capital Caracas.

At 46 she should have around two decades of life left but she now looks on the verge of death.

Head of Venezuela's National Parks Institute Marlene Sifontes said: 'There is food, but there is not enough variety.

'They are feeding her only with auyama (a kind of pumpkin) and papaya, but it is not covering what she really needs.'

Ruperta's story and pictures were shared online, which brought dozens of well-wishers rushing to the zoo with food for her.

But zoo bosses turned it down, saying they could not accept donations for fear of malicious people giving unsafe or even poisoned material.

Ruperta, 46, should have two decades ahead of her - but many now fear she's starving to death

The Caracas zoo can only feed her auyama and papaya, which does not cover Ruperta's nutritional needs

The zoo released a statement saying: 'Workers are not allowed to receive donations, because while there are people with good feelings, there are others with bad intentions.'

But the zoo refused offers of money too, for unknown reasons.

Ruperta is known to have been treated following a fall, which the zoo said was just a simple slip but Venezuelan media said was a faint caused by malnutrition.

Ruperta had previously been treated for a fall - which Venezuelan media said was actually a faint caused by malnutrition

Well-wishers rushed to the zoo to try and give food to Ruperta but the zoo refused to accept donations or money

The country's Environment Ministry is concerned about Ruperta too, releasing a statement that read: 'Elephants could live in the wild until they are 60 years old and around 65 or 70 if they are captive. Ruperta is 46 years old. She is an animal that could be considered to be aging prematurely.'

Ms Sifontes added: 'Although the government refuses to accept it, Ruperta is not a unique case in Caricuao Zoo that is suffering from this condition, and this zoo is not the only one in the country.'

She says that the country's economic crisis has led to 50 animals dying of starvation in zoos.

Zoo bosses say Ruperta is being attended to by experts.

Elephants can eat up to 330 pounds of food a day, usually grass, leaves and bark.