The Sedgwick County Zoo announced Thursday that the matriarch of its African elephant herd has died.
Stephanie was the zoo's oldest elephant, at 55, and had lived at the zoo since 1972. She was the third-oldest African elephant in North America.
Zoo officials said Stephanie had been receiving specialized care to keep her comfortable in her senior years.
"Thanks to the dedicated care she received, her age-related issues were well-controlled until recently when the care team observed a significant downturn and it was clear that her treatment could no longer manage her condition," the zoo said in a statement.
"With her comfort and wellbeing as their highest priority, the elephant care and veterinary teams made the extremely difficult but compassionate decision to humanely euthanize Stephanie this afternoon, surrounded by those who loved her most."
Stephanie and long-time companion Cinda grew up together and spent decades as ambassadors for their species. Cinda died in 2014. Two years later, Stephanie was introduced to six elephants that arrived from Eswatini and assumed the role of the herd’s matriarch.
When the zoo welcomed four calves in 2025, Stephanie "welcomed each little one into the herd and provided a calming yet sturdy presence," zoo officials said.
After Stephanie died, the herd spent time with her to process the loss.
