Radgirl's Portland Playground

Packy approaches a wading pool in the south habitat of elephant lands.  Photo by Michael Durham, courtesy of the Oregon Zoo Packy, who made headlines during the Kennedy era as the first elephant born in the Western Hemisphere in 44 years, was humanely euthanized at the Oregon Zoo today. At nearly 55, he was the oldest male of his species in North America. “We loved Packy so much,” said Bob Lee, who oversees the zoo elephant program and worked with Packy for the past 17 years. “He was my favorite — the most impressive animal I’ve ever known. It’s hard to think about coming in to work tomorrow and not seeing him. There will never be another like him.” The decision to euthanize came following a lengthy search for alternative treatment options after  test results last fall  indicated Packy was suffering from a drug-resistant strain of TB. “We’d run out of options for treating him,” said Dr. Tim Storms, the zoo’s lead veterinarian. “The remaining treatments in...