Tricia (elephant) facts for kids
Tricia at Perth Zoo in 2005
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| Species | Asian elephant |
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Born | 24 January 1957 Saigon, South Vietnam |
| Died | 6 July 2022 (aged 65) Perth Zoo, South Perth, Western Australia |
| Years active | 1963–2022 |
| Known for | Matriarch elephant at Perth Zoo |
| Named after | Tricia Reschke |
Tricia (born 24 January 1957 – died 6 July 2022) was a much-loved female Asian elephant who lived at Perth Zoo in Perth, Western Australia. She was born in Vietnam in 1957 and moved to Perth in 1963. Tricia was named after Tricia Reschke, who was Miss Australia the year before. Tricia's health started to get worse in 2016 and became much more serious in 2022. She lived to be one of the oldest Asian elephants in the world.
Life at Perth Zoo
Tricia was born in Saigon, Vietnam, on 24 January 1957. She arrived at Perth Zoo in Perth, Western Australia, in January 1963. She was bought from an animal dealer in Singapore called Mayfield Kennels. Tricia was named after Tricia Reschke, who was Miss Australia in 1962. This was part of a newspaper competition. She and another elephant named Tania were officially given their names in 1963 by Australian beauty queen Tania Verstak.
For her first 20 years at Perth Zoo, Tricia lived in a small concrete area. But from 1986, she moved to a much bigger home. This new space had a swimming pool, muddy areas to roll in, and a warm barn. In 1992, three more elephants joined Tricia at Perth Zoo. These were a male named Putra Mas and two females, Permai and Teduh. The three female elephants lived together. Putra Mas, the male, was kept separate because male elephants often prefer to be alone.
When Teduh passed away in 2007, Tricia was very sad for about a year. Elephants can feel grief, just like people. Tricia was usually the loudest of the Perth Zoo elephants, but she became very quiet during this sad time. Her keepers were very happy when she finally started to play and be her cheerful self again. Tricia's home was made three times bigger after some upgrades to the exhibit in 2004 and 2005.
Elephant Artwork
Tricia and the other elephants at Perth Zoo were known for making artwork using their trunks. The money raised from selling these artworks went to help charities. The elephants would paint by holding paintbrushes in their trunks or by blowing paint onto a canvas with their snouts.
In 2016, a petition was started by an animal rights activist. They wanted to stop the elephant artwork, saying that trainers used tools called bullhooks. However, Perth Zoo said these claims were not true. Tricia's image was also captured by artist Ross Potter for an art show called Animaze at the Fremantle Arts Centre.
Health Decline and Passing
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In July 2022, Perth Zoo announced that Tricia's health had been getting worse over the past few days. She was having trouble sleeping and moving around. It was thought that her health started to decline back in 2016. On 5 July 2022, Kristy Carey, one of Tricia's caretakers, said, "She knows how to take a piece of your heart and she doesn't return it. There's going to be a huge hole missing when she does go."
Tricia passed away peacefully on the evening of 6 July 2022. She was surrounded by her caretakers in her night quarters. The Zoo explained that her death was due to "age-related complications," which means problems that come with getting very old. This was expected because of her age. She died as one of the oldest Asian elephants in the world. Permai, another female elephant who had joined Tricia at Perth Zoo in 1992, stayed by Tricia's side for hours after she passed away. Tricia never had any baby elephants.
Perth Zoo announced her death to the public soon after. Many people shared their sadness and paid tribute to Tricia. This included her caretakers and the Premier of Western Australia, Mark McGowan. McGowan posted on Instagram:
Tricia wasn't just well-known, she was well-loved. Her stature and her grace were compelling. For many, she was a Perth icon. For six decades, she was an integral part of any visit to Perth Zoo. If you lived in Perth at some point in your life then you probably have a memory of Tricia.
Perth Zoo asked people not to send flowers. Instead, they asked for donations to the Tricia Tribute to Conservation Fund, which was named in her honor.
Tricia's Legacy
A ferry built in 2019 and run by Transperth is named MV Tricia after the elephant. After her death, Perth Zoo created the Tricia Tribute to Conservation Fund to remember her. A special memorial walk was opened to the public on 10 July 2022 to honor her memory.
In 2018, Perth Zoo announced that it would no longer keep elephants after Tricia passed away. The other two elephants would be moved to different zoos.
