Guangzhou residents mourn iconic elephant

Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, is mourning the loss of Bao Long, a beloved Asian elephant who resided at Guangzhou Zoo for nearly five decades.

The news of Bao Long's death has saddened many residents, who have taken to social media to express their grief.

In a statement released on Tuesday night, Guangzhou Zoo said Bao Long, who had been a fixture at the zoo for 48 years, collapsed and became unable to stand while playing on July 24. Zoo staff, along with veterinarians and other experts, made every effort to save him, but Bao Long died the following morning at the age of 48.

An autopsy revealed that Bao Long died from cardiopulmonary failure and a left lung lobe injury caused by a rib fracture. For decades, Bao Long had been a cherished resident of Guangzhou Zoo, becoming a well-known figure in the city. Many residents took photos of Bao Long and shared them online, turning the elephant into a local celebrity.

In addition to being a beloved figure at the zoo, Bao Long made a guest appearance in the 2023 movie Love Never Ends, sharing a scene with lead actor Ni Dahong and Hong Kong actress Kara Wai at the zoo's elephant pavilion.

"The death of Bao Long is indeed a sad thing," said one resident surnamed Huang. "I used to take my son to see Bao Long during holidays, and he liked the elephant very much."

Another resident, surnamed Zeng, recalled visiting the zoo in the 1980s, when the entrance fee was only half a yuan.

"Visitors could spend an afternoon at the zoo with Bao Long, whom they regarded as a friend," Zeng said, adding that he frequently took his grandchild to the zoo to see the monkeys, feed the giraffes and say hello to Bao Long.

A netizen shared memories of Bao Long enjoying the rain, using the opportunity to rinse his mouth, wash his head and take a shower. "It seemed to be enjoying the fun of the rain very much," the netizen said.

Bao Long was born at Guangzhou Zoo in 1976 to parents from India and Vietnam. In 1956, then premier Zhou Enlai transferred an Asian elephant named Ba Bao, or Eight Treasures — a gift from then Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru — to Guangzhou Zoo. On June 1, 1962, then Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh gave a 20-year-old female Asian elephant named Yi Long to Chinese children as a festival gift. Zhou instructed that the elephant be allowed to live at Guangzhou Zoo, with the pair forming the foundation of the zoo's Asian elephant breeding program.

The logo of Guangzhou Zoo features an elephant, symbolizing its long history with the majestic creatures. In May 1966, Guangzhou Zoo successfully bred an Asian elephant for the first time in China. Subsequent births occurred in October 1969, April 1976 and November 1980. While the first two elephants were transferred to other zoos, the youngest two, Bao Long and Yue Long, remained at the zoo.

Bao Long's parents died in 1983, with their bodies subsequently preserved as specimens at the Museum of Biology at Guangzhou's Sun Yat-sen University.

zhengcaixiong@chinadaily.com.cn