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Manila not asking Sri Lanka to replace elephant Mali

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna clarified Tuesday that the local government did not ask the Sri Lankan government to replace elephant Mali.</p><p>Mali, the Philippines&#x27; only elephant, died at the age of 50 on November 28, 2023, after suffering from several illnesses.</p><p>Speaking on ANC, Lacuna said they &quot;just sent a letter to the Sri Lankan government telling them that Mali had passed&quot; but that there was &quot;no mention&quot; that they are requesting another elephant. The South Asia country has yet to respond to their letter, she said.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A worker interacts with Mali the elephant on December 27, 2021. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2024/news/01/09/20211227-manila-zoo-preparations-jc-023330210.jpg"/><figcaption>A worker interacts with Mali the elephant on December 27, 2021. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Mali was first brought to the Manila Zoo when she was just 3 years old. The Sri Lankan government sent Mali to the Philippines in the 1970s after she was found orphaned in the wild.</p><p>Lacuna recalled that during the time of former Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, a Sri Lankan ambassador said that &quot;just in case something happens to Mali because of her age, they are very willing to give or to donate another elephant to the City of Manila.&quot;</p><p>Lacuna acknowledged the &quot;different opinions&quot; about getting another elephant for the zoo. But if the Sri Lankan government would &quot;entrust&quot; another one, she said, &quot;bakit naman po hindi?&quot; </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/28/23/philippines-lone-elephant-mali-dies">Philippines&#x27; lone elephant, Mali, dies</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/03/23/animal-rights-advocates-call-for-changes-at-manila-zoo">Animal rights advocates call for changes at Manila Zoo</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2887694" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna clarified Tuesday that the local government was not requesting the Sri Lankan government to replace elephant Mali.