Baby Elephant Dies at Theme Park

VALLEJO, Calif. —  A baby elephant on loan from a Missouri zoo died Wednesday months after an activist for animals says she warned the zoo the animal was too young to be separated from its mother.

Kala, a 2-year-old Asian elephant at Six Flags Marine World, was on loan from the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, Mo. He died of a viral infection.

Jane Garrison from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said Kala’s stress from being separated from his mother compromised his immune system and led to his infection and death. Kala came to the Vallejo park in May.

Jeff Jouett, a spokesman for Six Flags Marine World, called the claims absurd.

“This baby elephant died from a virus,” Jouett said. “Kala was not stressed. He spent time with his aunties just as any animal would in the wild.”