Where’s Happy? The mystery surrounding Bronx Zoo’s famous elephant

Happy, who has been the subject of fierce legal battles, is ‘doing well,’ according to zoo officials

Mystery surrounds Happy, the famous Bronx Zoo elephant who has been the subject of fierce legal battles, with the 53-year-old elephant having not been seen in public for months.

In recent weeks, rampant social media speculation has questioned the elephant’s condition and whereabouts, with the zoo finally releasing a video of Happy in her enclosure on Thursday to try and quash concerns.

“Happy, one of our Asian elephants ⁦@BronxZoo⁩, out in the exhibit yesterday morning taking a dust bath & eating browse,” the zoo stated on X.

Questions about Happy’s whereabouts have been spreading on social media for weeks and have continued despite the new video.

“Bronx Born Baddie! HAPPY THE ELEPHANT IS CURRENTLY MISSING!!!! 6 WEEKS AND COUNTING!” wrote one X user on Friday.

Another post read, “@usdagov Hey!!! Wtf is wrong with you all?? Happy the elephant has been missing for over a week living in deplorable conditions. We demand you immediately investigate now!”

“Yo I’m hearing that Happy theElephant from the Bronx Zoo HAS BEEN MISSING for over a month!?!?” exclaimed a third.

Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the city’s Guardian Angels, posted a video outside the zoo last month urging his 87,000 followers to “Save Happy the Elephant!”

According to the New York Times, no visitor has set eyes on the New York City zoo’s hefty star in over two months. But despite the speculation, zoo officials have insisted Happy is, in fact, happy and present.

In an email to The Independent on Friday, one zoo official said the “line” that Happy is missing is “not true at all” and highlighted the X video posted this week.

The Bronx Zoo previously put out a statement back on July 31 seeking to put the rumors to rest – though that did little to curb public concern.

“Nothing is wrong with Happy,” read the press statement, which went on to explain that Happy is “fine and doing well.”

One of the two Asian elephants at the zoo, Happy and her enclosure-mate, Patty, are both given the chance to choose where they spend each day within their enclosure, which visitors can see from the park’s monorail, the zoo said.

“Happy has been choosing to not go out into the area visible from the monorail,” continued the statement, “so Patty is the elephant recently seen by guests.

“Happy is given the opportunity each day to use the exhibit area and when she chooses to do so will once again be seen by visitors.

“Until then she is hanging back in other indoor/outdoor areas around the people who care for her, opting for their company (and more frequent contact and treats) over the exhibit area.”

Nothing has been found amiss at the zoo according to a report from an inspection conducted on August 8 by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“No non-compliant items identified during this inspection,” the report states.

Happy pictured in her enclosure at The Bronx Zoo on October 19 2022 (Corbis via Getty Images)

Open from May until October, the monorail gives zoo visitors the chance to catch sight of both Happy and Patty and promises to take you "into the heart of the Asian wilderness," according to The Bronx Zoo's website.

Happy has been a lightning rod of animal ethics controversies over the years.

She was the figurehead in a 2022 case that went all the way to the New York Court of Appeals to ascertain whether Happy and by extension, all elephants, have free will - which if found to be the case would have been a violation of habeas corpus.

A habeas corpus proceeding challenges someone’s alleged illegal confinement on that person’s behalf.

Happy was legally found unable to sue under habeas corpus, on account of not being a human, although Chief Judge Janet DiFiore wrote at the time that “no one disputes that elephants are intelligent beings deserving of proper care and compassion.”

The case was brought forward bythe Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP), which advocates for animals to be given “enforceable legal rights.”