Farewell Banna, mild-mannered 'hero mother'
Banna (left) butts heads with Bamo in 1976. (Photo/Shanghai Zoo)
Shanghai's beloved elephant Banna, known to all through the 1970s documentary “Elephant Hunting Diary,” has died.
Aged 54, Banna fell into a coma on Saturday and passed away on Sunday. She was the oldest animal in Shanghai Zoo.
Zoo keeper Xu Jianhua had taken care of Banna since 1979. He told Shanghai Daily, “I am heartbroken. I feel like I have lost a beloved family member. The times I spent with Banna keep flashing through my mind.
“My only regret is that she left me before I retired next year. We have accompanied each other through the past 39 years,” said Xu, who stayed through the night with Banna during her last hours.
“She was mild-mannered and always came to greet me when she saw me, no matter how far away she was,” Xu recalled.
“She attacked any stranger who approached her, but she never resisted me.
“She was never picky about food, and she liked fresh fruit very much,” he said.
“I took care of her as if she was my own child. When she was sick, I worried about her and returned at night to check on her.
“The time I spent with her is so precious.”
After giving birth to Yina, her first calf, in 1978, Banna never lay down again. To sleep, she leaned on the wall to rest, taking care of her child day and night. Forty years of standing damaged her joints and feet. In August of last year, she collapsed from heatstroke and could not stand up, but after 45 hours of treatment and an intravenous infusion, she recovered. Since then, she lost weight and moved more slowly, despite the tireless devotion of her keepers.
In July this year, her feet and legs swelled up and, on Thursday, her keepers found her almost unable to stand. On Saturday afternoon, she fell into a coma and all efforts to save her failed. Doctors from Zhongshan Hospital rushed to the zoo on Sunday morning but to no avail. She died at 12:50pm on Sunday. Keepers and veterinarians were inconsolable.
The documentary “Elephant Hunting Diary,” shot in 1971, showed how wild elephants were captured in deep in the forests of Xishuangbanna in Yunnan Province. Banna was one of those caught during the filming.
In 1972, Banna arrived at Shanghai Zoo, and became an instant celebrity. Thousands of people came to the city just to see her. Two years later she fell in love with Bamo who had come from Beijing Zoo. Together they have had eight calves. Bamo remained with her after she collapsed, refusing to leave her side even after she was gone.
She brought a lot of laughter and joy to Shanghai in her 46-year stay at the zoo, said Pan Xiuwen, a member of the zoo staff.
Many tourists who visited the zoo have photos with Banna, she added.
“Four years ago, when we celebrated the 40th wedding anniversary of Banna and Bamo, we received many photos from people who loved her,” said Pan.
Banna lives on in the memories of generations.
“Most people of my age watched ‘Elephant Hunting Diary,’” said zoo visitor Yang Guifen, 59.
“I saw Banna many times, twice on spring outings when I was in middle school, and took photos with her and my classmates,” she said.
“When I grew up and got married, I brought my daughter and grandson to the zoo to see her. It is so sad to hear of her death. She will live in my heart forever.”
“She was my favorite animal at the park because of her deep love of her children” said Li Ping, another visitor in her 30s. “My parents brought me to see her when I was a kid.”
The Internet was filled with sadness over Banna’s death.
“I burst into tears on learning the sad news. A joyful memory of my childhood has been taken away,” said a netizen “Tony.”
“Farewell, Banna! I hope your soul will return to Xishuangbanna,” said another.
“My Banna left, and I am heartbroken,” said “Xing Qing Zhong Ren” in his 60s. “I often visited the elephant pavilion just to have a look of Banna, and it is like one of my family members was living there. I don’t know whether I will visit there again.”
“Thank you, Banna, for your contribution to the expansion of the Asian elephant population,” the zoo said in its WeChat account. “You truly deserve the title of ‘hero mother.’”
