時事通信社
「はな子」は1947年タイ生まれ。1949年に戦後初めて日本にやって来たアジアゾウ。上野動物園を経て、1954年から井の頭自然文化園で飼育され、多くの来場者に親しまれた。
ここ数カ月、はな子は体調を崩し、3月14日から外に出なくなっていた。3月21日には「69歳のお祝い会」を開く予定だったが、体調不良のため中止になっていた。井の頭自然文化園では、はな子の近況を公式サイトで「柵越しにえさを与えたり、体をケアしたりしている」などと報告していた。
はな子の訃報を受けて、Twitterでは「ショックだ」「今までありがとう」など、その死を悼む声が相次いでいる。
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ゾウの「はな子」画像集
Japan Elephant(01 of09)
In this Jan. 27, 2016 photo, children look at Hanako the elephant at Inokashira Park Zoo on the outskirts of Tokyo. An online petition drive wants the 69-year-old Hanako, or \"flower child,\" to be moved to a Thai sanctuary, to live in a natural, grassy habitat where elephants romp in herds, not alone in her concrete pen, with a wading pool she hardly uses and a nearby side building to spend the night. Itâs attracted tens of thousands of signatures already, with the aim of submitting them to the suburban Tokyo zoo and the Japanese government. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan Elephant(02 of09)
Hanako the elephant celebrates her 65th birthday at Inokashira Park Zoo on the outskirts of Tokyo on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012. The zoo on Sunday held a ceremony for Japan\'s oldest Asian elephant. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan Elephant(03 of09)
Visitors surround the compounds where Hanako the elephant is celebrating her 65th birthday at Inokashira Park Zoo on the outskirts of Tokyo on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012. The zoo on Sunday held a ceremony for Japan\'s oldest Asian elephant. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan Elephant(04 of09)
In this Jan. 27, 2016 photo, a kindergarten staff take children near Hanako the elephant at Inokashira Park Zoo on the outskirts of Tokyo. An online petition drive wants the 69-year-old Hanako, or \"flower child,\" to be moved to a Thai sanctuary, to live in a natural, grassy habitat where elephants romp in herds, not alone in her concrete pen, with a wading pool she hardly uses and a nearby side building to spend the night. Itâs attracted tens of thousands of signatures already, with the aim of submitting them to the suburban Tokyo zoo and the Japanese government. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan Elephant(05 of09)
FILE - In this Jan. 27, 2016, file photo, a zoo attendant touches Hanako the elephant at Inokashira Park Zoo on the outskirts of Tokyo. The zoo said it will work on improving the living conditions for the 69-year-old elephant after an animal welfare expert recommended against moving her. American Carol Buckley was invited to the zoo by the \"Help Hanako\" campaign that sought to improve the elephant\'s situation or move her to a Thai sanctuary. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan Elephant(06 of09)
FILE - In this Jan. 27, 2016, file photo, a zoo attendant feeds Hanako the elephant at Inokashira Park Zoo on the outskirts of Tokyo. The zoo said it will work on improving the living conditions for the 69-year-old elephant after an animal welfare expert recommended against moving her. American Carol Buckley was invited to the zoo by the \"Help Hanako\" campaign that sought to improve the elephant\'s situation or move her to a Thai sanctuary. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan Elephant(07 of09)
In this Jan. 27, 2016 photo, Marian Hara dances and gestures until Hanako the elephant raised her trunk and came close to the edge of its pen at Inokashira Park Zoo on the outskirts of Tokyo. An online petition drive wants the 69-year-old Hanako, or \"flower child,\" to be moved to a Thai sanctuary, to live in a natural, grassy habitat where elephants romp in herds, not alone in her concrete pen, with a wading pool she hardly uses and a nearby side building to spend the night. Itâs attracted tens of thousands of signatures already, with the aim of submitting them to the suburban Tokyo zoo and the Japanese government. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(08 of09)
飼育員が皮をむいたバナナを食べる井の頭自然文化園のアジアゾウの「はな子」＝２９日、東京都武蔵野市 \n撮影日：2016年03月29日 (credit:時事通信社)
APTOPIX Japan Elephant(09 of09)
In this Jan. 27, 2016 photo, Hanako the elephant stands in her pen at Inokashira Park Zoo on the outskirts of Tokyo. An online petition drive wants the 69-year-old Hanako, or \"flower child,\" to be moved to a Thai sanctuary, to live in a natural, grassy habitat where elephants romp in herds, not alone in her concrete pen, with a wading pool she hardly uses and a nearby side building to spend the night. Itâs attracted tens of thousands of signatures already, with the aim of submitting them to the suburban Tokyo zoo and the Japanese government. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)