Egypt's Giza zoo loses Naima, its last elephant

The Egyptian capital's Giza zoo has announced the death of its last elephant, Naima, who spent around 36 of her 40 years in captivity.

The African elephant, a star of the neglected zoo, died Sunday after suddenly falling ill, a day after having been active and playing with visitors.

"Top veterinarians... gave her the required medications... but she did not respond," Mohammed Rajai, who heads the government's central authority for zoos, told AFP.

A forensics report showed she had suffered a severe clot in the heart.

Her fans were quick to react on social media. "I loved her a lot," one user said in a Facebook post, while another wrote: "God relieved you, Naima darling."

Rajai said on television that elephants in captivity generally have shorter lives than those living in the wild.

"Elephants especially are social animals who usually live among their community," he said.