Mac, a mischievous, young Asian elephant who had become one of the Houston Zoo's most popular animals, became ill and died Sunday. He was 2.He entertained visitors with his ability to dance, produce music on wind pipes and stand on his head.
Many zoo staff members, won over by his intelligence, playfulness and occasional headstrong ways, were devastated by the death of the 2,200-pounds-and-still growing animal.
"Everyone shares in the grief. Mac was embraced by the community in the past two years. It was sudden. It was quick, and we just couldn't save him," said zoo director Rick Barongi, who choked up with tears and stepped away from the microphone during a press conference Monday.
After composing himself, Barongi returned to the microphone and said a cure or vaccine will be found only if veterinarians devote themselves to finding one.Among the zoo's remaining elephants is 3-year-old Tucker, who was Mac's playmate. But the herd may be growing.
"Shanti's in the early stage of pregnancy," Barongi said.
FWIW, little kids don't have that much of a concept of death. Go ahead and use the word, though, as opposed to 'gone' or 'went to sleep'.
"Honey, Mac got sick with a very serious elephant sickness and he died. We can't see him any more. But we can still see Tucker and the bigger elephants."
(And chances are she'll either ask again on your next four visits OR have to tell everyone she knows all about it.)
Posted by: katy on November 12, 2008 9:37 PMKaty has the right idea. You could also say he got very very sick and although his doctors did the best they could he passed away. It wasn't because he did anything bad or anything like that. Sometimes people and animals get sick and even the best help they can get can't change things.
Posted by: Gentry on November 14, 2008 6:43 PM