Mona has been the only elephant living at the Birmingham Zoo in Alabama since January 2005, when her companion of 48 years passed away. Female elephants are among the most social creatures in the animal kingdom, and elephants are known to grieve the loss of friends deeply. In the wild, elephants live in large matriarchal herds, and females stay with the herd their entire lives, developing complex relationships and lasting bonds. Captive elephants have the same need as free-roaming elephants to form relationships with others of their species. Such relationships are crucial to elephants' emotional and physical well-being, no matter what their age.
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