A beloved Sumatran elephant at Bali Zoo has been found dead after she was swept away by an overflowing river.
Molly, 45, was found trapped at the bottom of a riverbed in the village of Guwang in the southern part of the Indonesian island on Tuesday.
Harrowing footage showed the 2.5 tonne elephant lying on the banks of the Cengcengan River, 3km from the zoo where she was a world famous attraction.
The footage showed Molly’s head and trunk stuck between two rock surfaces with a blue tarpaulin over her body.
Footage posted to social media showed dozens of rescuers gathered around the lifeless body of the famous Sumatran elephant.
Locals then contacted Bali Zoo about the grim discovery, bringing a frantic 15 hour rescue mission to a tragic end.
Molly was swept away by the raging river following a routine play and socialisation session with another elephant on Monday afternoon.
She was being led across the water by a handler to return to her enclosure when she lost her balance due to the strong current after recent heavy rain, the Bali Times reported.
Molly the elephant’s lifeless body was found at the bottom of a riverbed (pictured) in the Bali village of Guwang on Tuesday morning
Molly’s body was found 3km from where she was swept away at Bali Zoo
‘Molly was nearly at the edge when she suddenly stopped and was hit by a strong current. Our handler tried to intervene but couldn’t reach her,’ a spokeswoman told the outlet.
Zoo crews and Bali Natural Resources Conservation Agency rescuers launched a desperate search for Molly.
Disaster management authorities were also notified.
The search effort was suspended on Monday night due to bad light and the force of the river current before Molly was found the next morning.
Officials chained her body to nearby trees to prevent the remains from being swept away again.
Police officers assisted with efforts to evacuate Molly’s body from the scene on Tuesday afternoon.
‘It is with a heavy heart that we share the sad news of Molly, our beloved 45-year-old elephant, who has passed away,’ Bali Zoo posted on social media.
Molly (pictured) was swept away by a strong river current on Monday afternoon after she was let out by Bali zoo handlers for a routine play and socialisation session
The desperate search for Molly ended 15 hours after she was swept away by a raging river
‘We extend our deepest gratitude to Bali BKSDA and the local community for their unwavering support and tireless efforts in assisting our team throughout the search.
‘Molly, an affectionate elephant whose kind and gentle nature brought joy to all who knew her, will be deeply missed.
‘Thank you for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time.’
It’s the first time an adult elephant was swept away in a conservation facility in Indonesia, according to BKSDA head Ratna Hendratmoko.
‘In the wild, it is usually elephant calves that are reported to be swept away by currents,’ Ms Hendratmoko said.
Molly was a popular attraction with Bali Zoo visitors after the she was transferred there in 2013.
The zoo is currently home to 14 elephants including four males and ten females.
Molly was a much-loved attraction at Bali Zoo, which she had called home since 2013
Previous zoo visitors, who had met Molly, expressed their grief following the tragedy.
‘I am so saddened to hear [of] the loss of Molly I had the pleasure of meeting her when I attended the Bali Zoo 5 plus years ago she made my dream come true,’ one commented.
Another added: ‘I met Molly in May when I swam with the elephants. I’m absolutely heartbroken.’
A third wrote: ‘Rest easy Molly.’
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
