Tricia’s health deteriorating as keepers prepare to shut enclosure

Tricia the elephant’s health is rapidly deteriorating and her keepers fear she only has days left.

In January, Tricia celebrated her 65th birthday with crowds of people.

Tricia arrived in Western Australia as a six-year-old from Vietnam in 1963.

The elephant, who was named after a Miss Australia winner, has charmed and entertained Perth crowds ever since.

Her artwork is well known and popular.

The funds from every purchase go towards protecting the endangered Sumatran elephants.

“She knows how to take a piece of your heart and she doesn’t return it,” elephant keeper Kristy Carey said.

“There’s going to be a huge hole missing when she does go.”

The two younger elephants will be re-homed to other zoos and the enclosure will be no more.