African elephant dies in Pakistan weeks after reunion with sister

Park director Syed Amjad Hussain Zaidi told AFP that an autopsy would be conducted in the coming days.

Sonia the elephant was doing well at her last health check-up about 10 days ago, he said, noting that the Austrian NGO Four Paws had visited her at the end of November.

The issue is sensitive in Pakistan, where mistreatment of animals is common.

Sonia was recently reunited with her sister Madhubala, about 15 years after they were separated.

In 2009, they were among four young African elephant sisters captured in the wild and brought to Pakistan.

Noor Jehan, who died in 2023, and Madhubala were taken to Karachi Zoo while Sonia and Malika went to the city's safari park.

After the death of Noor Jehan, Four Paws -- which had criticised the zoo's medical team -- called for Madhubala to be transferred to Karachi Safari Park, which activists say offers better conditions for the animals.

Fifteen years after their separation, the three surviving sisters were finally reunited less than two weeks ago.

"Today, after the death of Sonia, we have two elephants left," said the park director.