Perth Zoo matriarch Tricia the elephant has died aged 65.
She was the oldest elephant to be cared for by a zoo in Australasia, and one of the oldest elephants in the world.
Tricia's health had been monitored closely by vets and her keepers at the zoo for many years, with the elderly Asian elephant receiving treatment and supportive care for "various age-related complaints", but her health deteriorated rapidly over the past week.
Premier Mark McGowan paid tribute to Tricia, saying she was a household name for WA families.
"Tricia is now at peace after she passed away earlier this evening."
He said staff at Perth Zoo had been humanely caring for Tricia and ensured she was as comfortable as possible in her final moments.
"They treated her with the love, dignity and respect she deserved," he said.
"Tricia brought so much joy to so many families, and her memory will live on in all those who visited her."
WA's environment minister Reece Whitby also paid tribute to Tricia, saying she left many memories and was "an icon forever in our hearts".
From Vietnam to Australia
Tricia arrived in Perth in January 1963, making the journey from Ho Chi Minh City — then Saigon — via Singapore.
Perth Zoo senior elephant keeper Kirsty Carey said in 2017 that Tricia's story mirrored a changing society.
"Tricia has lived through an era when zoos were a random collection of animals kept for human enjoyment," she said.
"Many of our older visitors recall Tricia living in a concrete enclosure and she was named after the 1962 Miss Australia [Tricia Reschke], reflective of a time when beauty pageants were in vogue."
Over the years, Tricia's enclosure turned into one with a swimming pool, trees, a mud wallow, scratching poles, a heated barn, and sleeping mounds, with multiple keepers dedicated to her care.
She was joined by three young elephants in 1992 from Malaysia — Putra Mas, Permai and Teduh.
Teduh passed away in 2007, but Putra Mas and Permai remain at Perth Zoo.
Every day an 'extra special gift'
Many a zoo visitor has memories of seeing Tricia on one of her walks, and crowds would gather to celebrate birthdays for the pachyderm, watching on as she devoured specially crafted frozen bran and fruit cakes.
Ms Carey said in January, after Tricia's 65th birthday celebrations, that the elephant had surpassed the average life expectancy for an Asian elephant, with every day spent with her "an extra special gift".
"We knew the day would come when she would slow down and prefer to have a quieter life — and that day is now," she said.
"If she wants to sleep in, that's her choice, if she's not up for meeting the public, that's her choice."
Tricia was the last Asian elephant in Australasia in its 60s, after the death of Saigon earlier this year at Sydney Zoo.
The future of Perth Zoo's elephants
When Perth Zoo celebrated its 120th birthday in 2018, the state government flagged change would come after Tricia's death.
Putra Mas and Permai are set to be rehomed to other Australasian zoos to be part of a herd setting.
Then-environment minister Stephen Dawson said moving on would be in the best interests of the pair.
"Perth Zoo has a small footprint within metropolitan South Perth," he said.
"We are committed to providing the best for the animals in our care, however, on this site we cannot develop an elephant exhibit big enough to accommodate a functioning herd comprising multiple animals.
"At the moment, the elephants at Perth Zoo are happy and healthy, but when Tricia dies, the elephants will be best placed to become part of a bigger herd, something we cannot facilitate at a small metropolitan zoo."
Mr Dawson said at the time the zoo had changed significantly over its 120 years, and it was time to transform again.
Tricia's legacy
Generations of West Australians have visited Tricia over the years at Perth Zoo, with the elephant set to leave a lasting legacy.
A ferry bearing her name sails on the Swan River, while some homes are adorned with colourful art by the pachyderm, raising funds to protect habitat for endangered wild elephants.
Ms Carey said in January that Tricia was an iconic part of Perth's history.
"She has had a monumental impact on all the visitors who have seen her, and helped to educate millions of people about the plight of her cousins in the wild," she said.
"It really is a privilege to work with such a special animal."
Perth Zoo has asked the community not to send flowers, but rather support the Tricia Tribute to Conservation Fund which has been established to build an elephant guard post in Sumatra in Tricia's name.
The funds will help conservationists monitor and protect one of the last remaining wild herds of Sumatran Elephants.
A special memorial walk will also open to the public at Perth Zoo this Sunday, July 10th giving the community the opportunity to pay their respects.
