Hanako, an Asian Elephant elephant kept at Inokashira Park Zoo, was found lying down indoors on the morning of May 26, 2016 (Thursday). Despite repeated attempts to encourage her to stand up on her own, she was unfortunately pronounced dead at 3:04 PM.
We will set up a flower offering stand and a form for writing messages in front of the elephant enclosure.

Hanako lying down Around 11:00 AM on May 26, 2016	Asian Elephant "Hanako" January 3, 2016

Hanako came to Japan on September 2, 1949, at the request of children, as a symbol of friendship between Thailand and Japan. She was about two and a half years old when she came to Japan in 1949. Since her exact date of birth is unknown, her birthday is celebrated on January 1st every year, and she turned 69 this year (2016).
The time of death was confirmed as 3:04 PM on Thursday, May 26, 2016. The cause of death is unknown. An autopsy is scheduled for May 27.

(Added on May 27)
→The autopsy revealed that the cause of death was respiratory failure due to pulmonary congestion caused by prolonged lying down (Notice).

Circumstances of death
On the 26th at 8:30, Hanako was found lying down inside the elephant enclosure.
(According to nighttime surveillance video, the person appeared to have fallen into a lying position around 1:25 AM.)
10:45 Since the animal would die from internal organ compression if it remained lying down, with assistance from zookeepers at Ueno Zoo and Tama Zoo, work began to raise it to its upright position using ropes and other means.
15:04 Death confirmed

Breeding situation in Japan (as of December 31, 2015)
41 enclosures, 91 animals (21 males, 70 females)
Source: Results of the 23rd Domestic Pedigree Registry Asian Elephant [Japan Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums]

(reference)
Asian Elephant are distributed across Central Asia, Thailand, and Malaysia, and primarily inhabit forests.
They are herbivores, mainly eating grass, but they also eat tree branches, leaves, bark, roots, seeds, and fruits.

About Hanako
It was born around the spring of 1947 at the Khunjara farm in Thailand.
Responding to requests from Japanese children, she departed Eurasian Moorhen, Thailand in 1949 and arrived in Japan, reaching Ueno Zoo on September 4th of the same year. She was named "Hanako."
In 1954, it moved from Ueno Zoo to Inokashira Park Zoo, and in 2013, at the age of 66, it set a new record for the oldest animal in Japan.

(May 26, 2016)
(Updated on May 27, 2016)