| I didn’t know about Hansa’s death until today – months
later. Oh I am so sad. I am so sad for Chai and all the Zookeepers.
I know that elephants are heartfelt animals and I can’t
imagine how Chai is dealing with this. I wish I could speak
elephant and let her know how sad for her we all are. It doesn’t
matter if you are human or an elephant - an earlier death like
Hansa’s is just unbearable. What sad and devastating news.
Love, Paola |
My
name is Kenzie and I am 6 1/2, I was born 9 days before
Baby Hansa. Baby Hansa was my favorite, favorite, favorite
animal at the zoo. I was very sad when my Mom told me
that Baby Hansa had died and I will miss her VERY much.
I
love you Baby Hansa. |
Dear Keepers,
Hansa was born the same year as my little brother and I enjoyed
visiting her every chance I could to see how much she had
grown. One time, when she was very little, we watched her
climbing on some logs outside in the yard. Her mother was
worried she might get hurt and kept nudging her to get down,
but Hansa was having too much fun. Finally Chai couldn't bare
it any longer and gently pushed Hansa off the logs!
We
will miss watching Hansa playing in the water too!
Charlotte (8) |
| My name is Shiloh and I love elephants. I love all animals,
but elephants in particular, and asian elephants specifically.
I was so excited when Hansa was born at Woodland Park Zoo and
liked going to the zoo as often as possible to see all the animals,
but her in particular. I even have a framed photo I took of
her a couple years ago. I moved to Alaska to go to college in
fall 2005 and unfortunately haven't had the chance to go to
the zoo since a few days before then, I remember she was looking
so big and healthy! I'm in town now and this evening I was telling
my brother that I'd like to go to the zoo and see Hansa. That's
when he told me of her passing. I feel heartbroken and am all
teared up at the thought of my dear little heffylump dying so
young. It must have been a horrible shock to the people who
took care of her and awful for Chai and the other elephants.
I hope Chai is doing okay, maybe someday she'll have another
baby. Hansa was so loved and I will miss her always. |
I
miss Hansa very much. She was a silly elephant. I liked to
watch her do belly flops in the water. I like to watch the
show Project Pachyderm about her birth and like to look at books
about her and other elephants. I hope Chai is doing okay. Hansa
was a very special baby. I thought she was so cute. I will miss
her very much.
Thank
you for taking good care of her while she was with you. |
Dear Keepers,
As long standing zoo members we were deeply saddened to
hear of Hansa's Passing. She was a well loved animal
and well cared
for. Please know you are in our thoughts and we offer our
deepest sympathies to you at this time. We loved Hansa and
have many an adorable photo of her as do so many others
in the community. Thank you for your care of her
and your love
for the elephants and the many other animals at the zoo.
We believe our zoo is a vital part of our community
and an excellent
resource for education.
Our
child calls it "her zoo" when
ever she refers to anything pertaining to the zoo. We
started bring her as an
infant and she amazes people when we bring them to the zoo
about how much she knows about the different areas of
the zoo and
this is in part because of all the wonderful keepers we
have who take the time to reach out and educate the visitors
as
they lovingly care for the animals in their charge.
Thank
you for all of your hard work and dedication to the animals
you love so much. It was because of you that
Hansa had a wonderful
life and touched so many hearts in Seattle and worldwide.
Again,
our thoughts are with you at this sad time. We hope Chai
is doing well and we will be back to see her
soon. |
| I will miss Hansa greatly as she was the main reason why I
would go visit Woodland Park Zoo. I know that her keepers, especially
Russ, will miss her greatly as well. Hansa had an upbeat spirit
that was contagious. She seemed to bring life to the elephant
barn that brought happiness to all that got to see her as well
as the other elephants she lived with. I will pray that the
veterinarians and other specialists will come up with a treatment
for the rare virus that took Hansa's life. The treatment and
care that Hansa had at Woodland Park Zoo was the best in the
world. For people to question that without knowledge of what
happened to Hansa is most unfortunate and should remind all
of us not to rush to judgment. |
Dear Zookeeper,
“
I love you very much Hansa. I am so sad that you are died. It
is a great job for you to be in the elephant family. It is so
important for you to stay alive, but I am so sad that you are
dead. I love you very much. I am sad that you died. I want to
be with you so much. It is important for you to be nice to your
family and get baths. One time me and my grandma watched you
play with the ball. I love you hansa very much. I love bamboo
too. It is important for you to be in your family, but I know
you aren’t going to be in your family again, because
you are died.”
I really liked watching you take baths and
we liked watching you play with the green ball and we liked
watching
you stand
with your mom.
Thank
you zookeeper for loving Hansa so much.”
Ashley-4 years old |
| I was heartbroken by Hansa's death. She was so very cute and
happy each time I saw her. Whenever I see photos of her it reminds
me of each time I saw her. I was crying like the whole day I
heard. |
| It was with great sadness to learn why Hansa died today, but
also a relief that it was not controllable. I have admired the
elephant keepers (from afar of course!) for a decade; their
love and skill with a special breed of animal is a gift to everyone
in our community. Please extend my appreciation to all zoo staff
who demonstrate passion and commitment every day, and especially
on the hard days like this one. |
My very special visit with Hansa
I went to the zoo one
day to see our new baby elephant. It was during the week,
not too crowded. I sat on the
little benches
that overlook the pond and saw the adult elephants standing
around gossiping. And wondered . .where is baby Hansa? Suddenly
a little trunk stuck up through the water like a periscope
and started moving around! I honestly didn’t know
what it was at first - what is that stick? Then I realized
- it’s
our baby. Finally Hansa came all of the way out . . .ran
around . . ran back toward the pond and did a belly flop
into the
water. Then she ran out again and tried to get the others
to join in
this outrageous fun. And finally under the water she went
with her built-in periscope in the up position.
All this
time . . I’m the only person witnessing this.
No one else was around! Visitors came up to see the elephants,
but not seeing the baby, took off. Little did they know,
she was swimming underwater. What a special sight and
experience for me. It was truly magical, as was Hansa. |
| I was heartbroken
to hear of baby Hansa's passing. The
world was such a beautiful place that day I saw her for the
first time. She was perfect. I loved watching her
running through the elephant barn, crashing into walls, crashing
into her mother's legs, losing her balance and falling down.
The wonders of elephant childhood! She forever remains
a joy in my heart. |
| I am a
college student in digital animation. I would like to share
my feeling with you all for the death of Hansa the
elephant. When I was a baby, my mom gave me a cute elephant
doll that my uncle found outside. I save it at my home.
Your grief on her influenced me and read elephant lovers' letters
in web site and the newspapers. That reason I feel like Hansa
is my elephant doll. Although Hansa passed away last June 8Th,
I strongly believe that all of the animals, including her, will
have the immortality in heaven. Also, they should have eternal
lives because they have no responsibilities during their earth
lives. I understand you all miss her so much. I think you should
enjoy watching or petting other elephants because you will feel
good to look at living elephants that was as Hansa's life. I
love to watch the animals and the insects on TV and the movies
and pet some of them since I was a kid. I hope you will be relieved
from my letter and be good to take care of the animals in zoo
or your home. |
I am saddened by the news of your passing. All elephants go
to heaven, so you are in a better place.
I will always remember the TV shows of your birth and first
days. I thought you were the cutest animal I had ever seen.
Elephants are noble creatures. You were truly a princess of
joy and happiness. I miss you. |
Dear Zoo Staff,
My six-year old daughter, Emily, and I drove to the south entrance
of the zoo on the evening after Hansa's death. We'd heard
on the radio, along with the sad news, that we could leave
a memorial at the South Gate. My daughter had paid many visits
to Hansa and her family in the years after both Hansa and
my daughter came into this world, and my daughter grew up
feeling a real kinship to Hansa. My daughter chose flowers
from our garden to make a bouquet for the zoo staff, thinking
especially of the elephant keepers, and we left it along with
a note from Emily to the staff. In the days since, she sometimes
will tell me that her "heart feels torn apart" by
this loss. I know that you are enduring grief from this loss,
too. Please know how much it has meant to us to be able to
connect with these ambassadors from the world of wild and
endangered elephants. |
| I miss you Hansa. You and I were born on the exact same day
- November 3, 2000. So I always wanted to see you when we went
to the zoo. It won't be the same there without you. |
| Long before Hansa was born I told all my friends that she
would be born on my birthday. Once November came they told me
that I was wrong. The morning of 3 Nov we were driving to the
zoo as we always do on my birthday when Hansa birth was announced
on the radio. My little elephant and I shared a birthday. I
saw her often and always celebrated Nov 3rd with her. Since
I am over fifty I never thought I would celebrate a birthday
without my little elephant. I watched all her videos like the
first trip outside and her first snow. I have her mouse pad,
book and her poster. She was very special and it is hard to
image the zoo without her. I would like to buy a DVD of her
video collection if one is available. |
| I saw Hansa when she was so little, she could fit under her
mother's belly. They were in the shallow water and she kept
slipping under her mother's belly as she explored her surroundings.
She was so fresh and new. You could tell she'd been rollling
in the grass because the hair on her back and head stuck straight
up and was green! She was so full of life and hope. Her mother
was eating carrots a keeper was throwing into the water. Hansa
didn't know how to use her trunk for picking things up so she
was trying to copy her mother. She'd fling her trunk back after
dipping it in the water and wap herself on her head. She was
so adorable. That day she didn't get a single carrot but you
could tell she was determined to figure that secret out. Over
the years, I've looked forward to the special moment in my visit
when I'd see her again. I would gauge how much she had grown,
how closely she stayed to her mother, how she related to the
other elephants. My heart is saddened by the prospect of not
seeing her again. I loved to see her play in the water. She's
a good lesson on how short life really is and how we need to
live each day as if it is our last. I feel blessed to have witnessed
her growth and that she was part of my life for a short time.
I cry big elephant tears in mourning. |
Elephants have been my favorite animals for 50 years.
Hansa did not cause me to love elephants.
However, because of Hansa we became Zoo members, so:
If Hansa had not been born, I would never have known that there are kangaroos
who live in trees.
I would not have been delighted by the cuddly, cute Matschie's Tree Kangaroos,
or concerned about their habitat.
Tree Kangaroos are my second favorite animal!
If Hansa had not been born, I would not have marveled over tiny frogs in shades
of bright yellow, orange and blue, so perfect that they look like china toys.
Rain forest Frogs are my second favorite animal!
If Hansa had not been born, I would never have seen Tapirs or laughed at their
long faces that resemble the faces of our children's Cabbage Patch Ponies. I
would have missed hearing their odd voices.
Tapirs are my second favorite animal!
If Hansa had not been born, I would have missed knowing about Sun Bears and Sloth
Bears. How dull my experience of bears would have been.
Asian Bears are my second favorite animal!
If Hansa had not been born, I would never have stood eyeball to eyeball with
a lizard so large he is called a dragon.
Komodo Dragons are not my second favorite animal!
If Hansa had not been born, I might never have gone to see wild Bald Eagles on
the Skagit River.
Eagles are my second favorite animal!
If Hansa had not been born, I would not have seen Colobus Monkeys with fantastic
black and white tails.
Colobus Monkeys are my second favorite animal!
If Hansa had not been born, Siamangs, Snow Leopards, River Otters, Lemurs, Asian
Cranes and Gorillas would have been characters in books and TV nature shows instead
of animals I have experienced in person.
Arctic Fox and Jaguars would have eluded me. Red Pandas and Patas Monkeys would
have never entered my life.
My only second favorite animal would be the Mariner Moose! |
Hansa, you added such beauty and joy to the zoo.
I remember seeing you when we moved here from California and
I was so happy to see you.
You will be missed. |
| just learned
of Hansa's death while reading The Seattle Times online. I've
been living in Florida for the past 3 years. I
was born and raised in South Florida, but I lived in Seattle
for 36 years. One of the finest times I ever had in Seattle
was a trip to the zoo to "meet" Hansa. Like most folks,
I fell in love with her. I have nice photos of Hansa, her mother,
and her aunt. I was forced to leave Seatte for health reasons,
but I hope to return. I had been looking forward to a return
visit to see Hansa. I weep as I write this. This is a personal
loss for so many people, including me. May her sweet soul rest
in eternal peace. And may God bless her keepers and human friends. |
Meeting
Hansa for the first time was sorta like meeting my daughter
when she was born: some trepidation about the
unknown,
but a tremendous amount of excitement to know I was going
to see young (newish) life, that of such a young elephant.
I admired
how quickly Hansa seemed to figure out the pecking order,
how she modeled her steps after her mother's, watching Hansa
tuck
under her mother's trunk for a little snug. Having myself
a young child, I marveled at how regardless of species, the
parent-child
bond, the idea of "family", is universal.
Our family
will miss her! But thank you Woodland Park Zoo for providing
us the opportunity to get to know her. |
Hansa--
We will miss you today. I will miss you because once she go
away from the zoo. She was very, very nice.
Rafi, age 3 |
Dear Hansa:
We'll miss you a lot. I first met you when we first moved to
Seattle in 2001. You are one of the greatest elephants in
the world, because you were so playful and nice. My visits
to the zoo were all about going to see you, Hansa. My mom
and dad would chase after me, as I ran way ahead to see your
trunk and big eyes. I will miss you.
Raina , age 8 |
My family was deeply saddened to hear that Hansa had died.
We remember the day she was born, our first visit to see her
just days after her birth, and the many times we visited all
the elephants on our regular trips to the zoo. We hope you find
out what happened to her so that you may find peace.
The Woodland Park Zoo is one of the best zoos in the world and
we appreciate all that you do for animal preservation and community
education. Thank you!
Hansa, we miss you! |
| What a beautiful gift from God Hansa was. The pain from of
her loss is immeasurable. She gave us all so much joy. Having
her to watch was a wonderful distraction from the workday, her
innocence and playfulness brought out the child in all of us.
The memorial page will allow us to enjoy her beautiful playful
spirit and live on in our hearts and memories for years to come.
Even though her life was so brief she touched the lives of many,
she will be greatly missed and with a heavy heart I say I love
you Hansa, I hope we meet again someday. |
Thank you Hansa for 6 wonderful years of visits with our grandsons.
We always had to go to see you first. You will be remembered
with much love and affection.
To Chai, Watoto and Bamboo and all who cared for Hansa, we feel
your pain. |
| What a beautiful gift from God Hansa was. The pain from of
her loss is immeasurable. She gave us all so much joy. Having
her to watch was a wonderful distraction from the workday,
her innocence and playfulness brought out the child in all
of us. The memorial page will allow us to enjoy her beautiful
playful spirit and live on in our hearts and memories for
years to come. Even though her life was so brief she touched
the lives of many, she will be greatly missed and with a heavy
heart I say I love you Hansa, I hope we meet again someday. |
I am deeply saddened to hear about the loss of our little
Hansa. Our daughter was born 4 months before Hansa and I felt
like
she grew up with her. Before she started school, we went to
the zoo almost three times a week and I still have vivid memories
of our daughter belly laughing each time Hansa played with
her ball or tried to imitate her mum and aunties, or played
with the spray from the water hose in the barn. My tears are
not just from losing Hansa, but that she gave my daughter
and our family many wonderful memories. Thank you Hansa, you
will never be forgotten in this home.
Our thoughts go out to Chai, Bamboo, Watoto and the entire WPZ
family. |
| I just
returned to Seattle from an extended trip, and learned the
news of Hansa’s passing. I wanted to express my condolences
to everyone within the zoo family, you must be so heartbroken.
I am also deeply saddened for Chia, and the other elephants
at the park. Having watched documentaries about the incredible
bond between elephants, I am sure that the entire family is
in mourning. Hopefully the reason for Hansa’s passing
will be discovered and steps can be taken to make sure that
nothing like this happens again. Perhaps someday everyone in
Seattle will again be able to witness the birth of a baby elephant,
and watch it grow towards maturing. |
| My sympathy to the wonderful staff at the Woodland Park Zoo
on the death of dear Hansa. Thank you to the zoo administration
for standing up to the animal rights groups that want to threaten
our beautiful elephant exhibit and blame our keepers for this
tragedy!!! |
| As a long-time
member of the zoo (I still remember Wide Awake) and donor,
I too, cried over the death of Hansa. She was a most
charming gift from Chai and Mother Nature and will be sadly
missed, One could watch her for hours, especially when she was "new".
The pride of the zoo and a real treasure! |
| I remember waiting impatiently for Hansa's birth. She brought
such joy and laughter to so many. I can't imagine how hard it
must be on all of you. I will cherish the memories I have of
her. Thank you for sharing her with us, for all the love and
support you gave her. I will never forget her. God bless her
now and always. |
| Hansa will be missed by all who knew her. I have to fight
back the tears every time I think of her being gone. My thoughts
and prayers are with Chai, Watoto, Bamboo, and all who cared
for Hansa during her brief life. |
| This
beautiful elephant was born about the time my daughters were.
Daughters died. Hansa was so innocent and playful- full
of joy. I could laugh with her when she was chasing her ball
or crows. I could feel excited for her as she learned elephant
ways, such as throwing dirt on her back, in imitation of her
elders (though not always on target)...I could enjoy her babiness
when other, human babies were too painful to look at. I loved
taking my more recently
born baby to visit her. |
| I really miss you! We shared a birthday except I was 3 years
older than you. It was fun when I got to feed you. Poor Chai
she must be very sad. |
| That is very sad that your elephant Hansa died. I love the
woodland park zoo alot and even though monkeys are my favorite
animal, I still love the elephants too. I don't go to the zoo
very often because I don't get much time. So, even if I don't
know who Hansa was and is, in our hearts, I still hang my head
in hearing that a animal died. People at the zoo have known
her all her life so it must be sad to lose her. I'm so very
sorry and I'll do whatever I can to help. And I'll get in as
many donations as I can give. It might be strange to hear this
from a little 9 year old but I can really do all that I'm saying
I can do. |
Hansa I miss you. I'm sorry you died.
Bobo age 5 |
| Thank you for making me feel like an important part of the
zoo family. WE LOVE THE ZOO!!!! |
Oh what a lost!!!
We are members and also neighbors of the zoo. We celebrated
our son’s 4rth birthday at the Zoo last February. He
loves going in the afternoons “to see the baby elephant”,
like he says. We would go every week just to see Hansa.
I don’t know exactly how to explain to him the reason
for her absence…. I guess we’ll have to tell him
the truth! This will be the first time that we’ll talk
about death with him and what passed away means.
We are so very sorry! I hope the elephants caregivers know how
great they are and the wonderful job they did since the baby
elephant arrived to our lives.
Please receive our condolence. We’ll always remember Hansa,
our baby elephant!!!! |
| I still
cry over the premature departure of our beloved Hansa. Tears
still fall at the most unexpected moments and I feel a
deep ache when I think about what we really lost on June 8th.
My only comfort is I know without any doubt that she was loved
and cared for at Woodland Park Zoo. I can only imagine the great
heart ache her caregivers are feeling at this time and I want
them to know they have my admiration for what they do. My own
personal legacy to Hansa is when she was born I was listening
to Ciscoe Morris on the radio talking about roses, he recommended
Rosa Rugosa. I headed to the nursery for some rose bushes and
when I got there they had 3 Rosa Rugosa HANSA’s, I bought
them all! I now have three of the most beautiful and prolific
rose bushes in my back yard; one yellow, one melon and one wine
colored. They have become even more special with Hansa’s
passing and I like to think I still have a tiny piece of that
wonderful ‘supremely happy’ short life. As a mother,
my heart also aches for Chai, I would love nothing more than
to wrap my arms around her (leg maybe) and just tell her know
how much she is loved for what she gave us and how sorry we
are for what she lost. To the staff of WPZ, I wish you peace
knowing you do great things. God keep you Hansa, Bless you Chai
and family, and Comfort your Caregivers. Most sincerely and
with love. |
| Our family
is saddened by the unexpected passing of Hansa. Our kids are
zoo lovers, especially our 5 year old son. We send
our thoughts and prayers to the zoo staff and the many people
who are saddened by his death. Our kids say "Dear Hansa:
Why did you die? That is my question. I love coming to the zoo
and I will miss you." and "Dear Little Elephant -
we will miss you.” |
| Hansa,
you were captivated by my grandson Hunter's stroller. Hunter,
the baby boy, was wheeled up close to you and your Mom.
You liked looking at the baby boy sitting there. The baby boy
reached for you; you showed your trunk to him, tossing it in
the air and "blowing". You pranced a little while
the baby boy drew his entire infant body as far as he could
toward you. At full stretch, the baby reached his tiny hands
toward you. You seemed to know that you had the baby's attention.
You created your own baby elephant dance, weaving around your
Mom and at times heading for the stroller, then back to your
Mom, then tossing random bits and pieces from the ground with
your trunk. Your eyes glistened and your Mom appeared proud
and protective. You delighted the baby boy and other children
who were drawn into your play. We will miss you, Hansa, and
always remember the pleasure that you brought to even the tiniest
child. |
| Dear Zoo Family, We are so sorry for the loss of Baby Hansa.
My son was born just before Baby Hansa and I brought him to
the zoo to see the new elephant. I have often brought my children
since to visit with the elephants but especially the baby. Again
we are very sorry and know that she was very well cared for
and loved by her family. Thank you so much for the wonderful
memories that we will always cherish. |
| Hansa and our Grandson, Theo, were born within days of each
other and we feel as if we have lost one of the family. We visited
Hansa and her family often. We will miss her. |
Dear Zoo Family,
I just wanted to express how sorry my family was to hear the
sad news about Hansa's death. I was particularly hard
hit by the news because we lost our infant son in October,
so I felt a kinship with Chai. Also, we've spent countless
hours at the zoo with our young daughter and she loves all
of the elephants. She's not old enough to understand
what happened to Hansa, but she knows that she will not be
able to see the "baby elephant" anymore. To
all the keepers and staff, and on behalf of our family: please
accept our deepest condolences. Also, please kiss the
other elephants for us as I'm sure they are experiencing grief
in their own way. |
| I miss our baby Hansa. Thank you, WPZ for sharing her with
us. |
| Our family
loved catching glimpes of Hansa on our visits to the zoo.
Thank you for sharing her with us and this community.
We are so very sorry and our thoughts and prayers are with all
of you that knew her "in person and up close". We
have many photos of her in our collection as she grew... playing
with her big blue ball and getting baths from her keepers. We
will miss her! Thank you for taking such top notch care of her
and her fellow elephants and providing us (the community) with
such a treat whenever we visit Woodland Park Zoo. |
| My
boyfriend called me the day Hansa's death was announced. We
are zoo members and have loved Hansa since we knew she had
been conceived. We felt our sweet friend's death deeply and
we knew how her death would impact those closest to her at the
zoo. I arrived at the Zoo that afternoon with a sunflower and
bunches of bananas to contribute to a memorial for Hansa. Nothing
was set up at that point but I witnessed the great sadness of
Zoo employees I spoke with. We offer our sincere condolences
to everyone at Woodland Park. She has a place in my heart always
and I am hoping a permanent memorial will be created for Hansa.
I also hope we will have another baby elephant at the Zoo to
bring the hope and promise Hansa represented for our community. |
| Little one, you will be missed. |
| Right now I am so stunned and saddened by this news that I'm
nearly lost for words. Hansa was a wonderful girl, a beautiful
elephant! Always playful, always joyful! I'm very sad right
now. My condolences go out to her care givers. Hours spent with
her brightened so many of my days. I guess I'm most struck by
the un timeliness of her death. So many young elephants die
in captivity. More often African elephants, but Asian as well.
Just in my experience alone, this is the 7th or 8th elephant
that I have been touched by, that has passed away very young.
That seems like a giant number that should be of utmost concern.
Clearly there are crucial elements we are missing, that contribute
to this tragedy! We don't at this point know exactly why she
died, but it seems that we should take this as further reason
to examine more closely than ever what can be done to avoid
this from happening in the future. I know that death is part
of life, but the continual un timely nature of so many young
elephant deaths is unacceptable. I hope that Hansa will be a
beacon for reversing this dreadful trend. I miss her. |
Dear Hansa,
We knew that you were special
The second you appeared.
Heaven knew this too and so
You were taken from us here.
We will find comfort in knowing
You are in a special place.
In heaven, in so many hearts,
Immortal is your face.
May your passing serve a purpose
A purpose as special as you.
To remind us to strive for peace, love and happiness
So one day we can we can be there with you.
Until then...
We love and miss you sweetheart. |
| We moved to Seattle one month after Hansa was born when our
twins were only 1 year old. They and their little sister (who
was born exactly 3 years after Hansa) have watched Hansa grow
up (although they noticed she grew much faster than they did!).
The elephant forest was always the first place they wanted to
go when we got to the zoo and we always had to make another
visit on the way home. Thank you for caring for Hansa and sharing
her with us. We will miss her! |
For several
years my husband, Eric, was known as the "Elephant
Man" among the docents at WPZ. He volunteered over 1,000
hours as a docent and I'm willing to bet at least 900 of those
hours were with the elephant cart sharing his love for those
wonderful creatures with young and old alike. He was actually
going to be "on watch" at the elephant barn the night
Chai went into labor and felt like Hansa was nearly one of his
own children. Eric passed away in September of 2005.
I was so saddened when I learned of Hansa's death. Eric would
surely have grieved. However, the poet Billy Collins once suggested
heaven might be what we dream it to be. If that is the case,
Eric is out walking with Hansa in the presence of a vast herd
of elephants in a grassy field lined with lush, leafy trees
and an inexhaustible carrot patch in the northwest corner. They
are kicking a very large ball back and forth between them. Eric
is smoking his pipe and Hansa is occasionally reaching in his
pocket to inhale the rich pipe tobacco aroma all the elephants
seemed to like so well.
This is my dream for them both. I'm sure each of the keepers
and the entire WPZ staff have a dream of heaven for Hansa. She
inspired many of us to dream when she was born and certainly
deserves our best dreams of elephant heaven with her unexpected
passing. |
| Simply
keep up the good work! my daughter and i have grown so much
closer over the last two years thanks to our visits
to you zoo! may all families (of man and animal) be more closely
united due to the woodland park zoo!!! my condolescenses to
all the staff who suffer and share the heartache. |
| I was deeply saddened by the news of Hansa's passing. What
joy she brought to us with each visit to the zoo. Over the years,
we have seen her many times. We have adorable footage of her
on my daughter's 2nd birthday zoo trip (6 years ago) in which
we caught her running back and forth under her mother's tummy,
she must have been just over 6 months old at that time. She
was too precious. Our Thoughts and Prayers are with her keepers
and the other elephant's that are also affected by this loss
- her family. May peace be with you at this time. |
Dear Hansa,
You will always be loved and missed. We have loved you since day one (and came
to see you on day two!) You have grown up with my boys, and they will cherish
the memories they have of you. I have been an elephant lover ever since I can
remember, with an extensive collection to prove it. I believe that an elephant
is the most gracious and gentle animal on earth, and you were the most beautiful
I have ever seen. So, as you make your way and journey through heaven...know
that you will always be in our hearts, souls, and memories. |
My heart
goes out to Hansa's staff -- I was so fortunate to be there
just hours after she was born; a special "donor" tour
to see the snow leopard kittens (wonderful!), but the baby elephant
was born so we eagerly went to see her. She hadn't yet figured
out how to latch onto her mom's breast! We watched as the keeper
placed the newly-built wooden lift to raise her higher, and
kept trying to steer her mouth to the breast -- instead, she
would ALMOST make it but would then track her human's arm with
her trunk, back back to his body, "oh hello there!!" He
would try again and again to steer her to the breast, but she
kept following his arm back... So amusing and charming and endearing
and I was infatuated with her from that moment on.
The keeper's wife was with us, and she joked that the men on
Hansa's "birth" staff were more focused on Chai's
pregnancy and delivery than they were with their own kids!
I bought the Channel 5 Jean Enerson coverage videotape for my
whole family, and we've been keeping up with Hansa ever sense.
We join all of Seattle in our sorrow for the loss of our little
elephant. |
I am very saddened by the unexpected death of Hansa and would
like to extend my sincerest sympathies to all those people whose
lives Hansa touched. I would especially like to extend my thoughts
to the staff, volunteers and the elephant family at the Woodland
Park Zoo who worked with, lived with and cared for Hansa. I
can only imagine how great your loss is.
I have a passion for animals and in particular elephants and
I was so excited to learn about the birth of Hansa on November
3rd - also my birthday! I watched all her videos and tracked
her growth and progress through Woodland Park Zoo's great website.
I told friends and family about "my elephant" and
named a Cancer fundraising team "Hansa's Herd". I
felt a special connection with Hansa and adopted her in my heart.
Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to know Hansa as well
as I would have liked. I planned a trip to see her just after
her first birthday. It was a cold day so she was in her indoor
pen. I just sat and watched her, she was just so sweet.
Hansa, your sudden death is a terrible tragedy. You hold a very
dear place in my heart and you will be greatly missed. |
We have been members of WPZ since my daughter was an infant,
she will be turning 11 in a week. When we learned of Hansa's
death...we cried.
She was like a friend whom you may only seen 4 or 5 times a
year but she always made you laugh and you left with a smile.
She made you feel that all is OK in the world.
This may sound funny, but Hansa's name was spoken almost daily
in our house. My daughter has a very bad habit of taking extra
long showers and each morning I'd rap on the bathroom door and
inquire as to when she and Hansa might be done showering. Hansa
was a delight to all that knew her and her death has left such
a void. My heart goes out to all that loved her. |
| I’m
sorry for the loss of that beautiful animal. I remember seeing
the video of her when she was younger.....she played
and frolic like any child toddler would. She was so fun to watch;
so human. |
Hello,
I've written an essay, reflecting on the life of Hansa, and
the impact of her death upon Chai. You can find it at http://zonefamily.blogspot.com/2007/06/to-chai-mother-of-hansa.html and I've also attached it below.
Thank you. |
| Hansa was only a baby elephant when i was 3 yrs. old. Now
1 year ago she was still alive. 1 year later she is dead=(.
I used to always come and see her do stuff. I had a lot of fun
watching. Too bad that she is dead now and i cannot see her
anymore. |
| Dear Hansa,
You will be truly missed. I was born 3 weeks after you and
was always reminded that we were the same age. When
my mom was pregnant with me, my grandma told her that even elephants
are having babies…when are you going to have one. I’m
sad that you had to go to heaven so early in life. I will miss
visiting you. |
| I remember the first time i heard that a new baby elephant
was born at the zoo. I was so excited to go visit Hansa. I grew
up around the zoo. I was 12 when Hansa was born and now at the
age 18 i feel sadden at her death. I feel like a piece of me
died with that news. Hansa was the first thing i would always
go visit and probably the animal that i would spend the most
time with and pictures. The zoo wont be the same now without
Hansa. I give my wishes to the elephant staff. I cant imagine
how they must be feeling. Hansa will always be loved. |
| I remember taking my children to the zoo when Hansa was born.
We were all so excited. They were giving the elephants baths
and there was a small yellow tub that Hansa backed into and
couldn't get out of for a few minutes. She was so cute and fun.
We were so happy to watch her grow up. And now, so saddened
by her passing. Our hearts go out to the keepers and, of course,
her elephant family. |
| Hansa was such a beautiful girl that we made a special point
to visit every time we came to the zoo. She will be missed longer
than she was with us. May she rest in peace. |
| We are so sad at the passing of little baby Hansa. My family's
favorite family outing is to go to the Zoo. My personal favorite
has been and will contine to be the elephants. They have such
a calming effect on me. That twinkle in their eyes also provides
a giggle. A big hug from our family to all those who have ever
been touched by the elephants at the Zoo. |
| I really appreciated the Hansa Memorial page. I was saddened
to hear about Hansa's death, and I was not aware how much she
affected the community. |
| When I got home the day Hansa died and I heard the news on
the TV, I felt like a member of my family had died. She was
born on November 3, the same date as both my mother and my son.
So it was easy to track how old she was because we always remembered
her on that day. She was born just a few months after we moved
to Seattle, and we waited with the rest of the city through
much of Chai's pregnancy. When she was born we gasped when we
saw the tiny trunk move and we smiled at her antics as she grew
up. We will miss our zoo baby very much. I know that those of
you who worked with her every day did everything you could to
give her a good, quality life. I can only imagine how hard this
is for you all to bear, knowing how hard the news hit me. Rest
in peace, dear little one. |
| My heart
is with Chai and the zookeepers. I moved to Seattle two years
ago. I've been to the zoo a few times now, and each
time, I started on the wrong end and ended up being too tired
to head down to the elephant exhibit. I kept saying, "Oh,
I'll go next weekend." Well, I lost my chance to see this
wonderful unique being. Please, please, people, make the time
to go before it's too late. You're missing far too much. |
| Hansa was a whirlwind of excitement and hope. It is not the
years of her life that I will remember her by, but the life
in her years. As a volunteer of the Woodland Park Zoo I am grateful
to all of the zoo staff that have educated me and allowed me
to work along side them. They are a dedicated group of professionals
who care about the members of their zoo family. |
| Thank you for the thoughtful message. Our hearts also go out
to YOU, the employees of the zoo as you field mixed reactions
to handling such difficult and emotional circumstances. We support
the zoo. We loved Hansa. My son is six so Chai and I were pregnant
together. (Though poor Chai had the far longer/heavier pregnancy!)
We felt a bond with Hansa and Chai in that process and I recall
taking my son to see the baby elephant. She was dear and will
continue to run and play in our heart and fond memories. Healing
wishes to all of you as you work through this time. Thank you
for reaching out to your community! |
I am very sorry for your loss. Hansa was a beautiful elephant.
I wanted to share a touching story with you.
I am a preschool teacher and this week we are learning about
wild animals. Every time we have talked about elephants one
of the boys in my class mentions Hansa and how she was just
a baby elephant. Yesterday morning the kids were building a
zoo in the block area and when they were putting all the animals
in their habitats this little boy picked up one of the smaller
elephants and set it up on the shelf. He then told his friends, " This
is baby Hansa and this shelf is heaven. It's real, not part
of the game."
It was so touching to see him explain it to his friends. I thought
I'd share it with you to let you know that Hansa is in all our
thoughts. |
| I have
been bringing my 2 1/2-year-old twins to see Hansa since they
were about 10 months old. "Elephant" was
the first thing they learned to sign, and even though they are
using verbal words now instead of signs, they still use sign
language when referring to an elephant. We will miss Hansa,
as will thousands of others. Those of you who cared for her,
along with the other elephants, are in our thoughts and prayers. |
| Thank you for the nice email; I sent my condolences last Friday,
and visited the Zoo on Saturday to leave a pretty plant that
will hopefully make Hansa happy when she sees it from heaven.
This is truly SO sad for everyone; I know all of Seattle is
in mourning. Hopefully the Zoo can put up a permanent memorial
or statue or something in her memory. |
| I am terribly saddened by Hansa's death. I remember seeing
her after she was born and my family will miss her so much. |
We watched you grow
With awe, you know.
You pushed the ball,
While getting tall.
A feisty little girl,
Who loved to twirl.
You were a joy to watch,
I, would have loved to have touched.
So sleep well little one,
And a thousand thanks for the fun. |
I'm still in shock and grief and am dealing with this, so
I can only imagine how those who worked with her on a daily
or routine basis feel. I used to take great pleasure in buzzing
over the zoo on my lunch hour just for a quick Hansa visit.
The shear joy this little one expressed was infectious -- and
what love we (her elephant family, staff, and public) had and
have for her.
If I had an elephant trunk, I'd wrap it around
you all.
BTW, I'd dearly love to get a copy of the pictures
you've posted.
Particularly of the one with her and Chai in the pool. Is
this possible?
One time I visited, I got to sit and enjoy
the two of them frolicking in the water. Chai impressed
me generally
as
a worried and nervous
mom, until she got into the pool with her daughter --
then she was so relaxed and looked as if she too was
having fun.
Thanks for posting this site and for the message.
I wasn't sure if I'd be able to visit the zoo in the next
few months
due to
how I feel about Hansa's passing right now, but this
certainly will help toward the healing process. |
| We are sad to hear the news of Hansa's passing. We know that
the Woodland Park Zoo is a caring and safe place for all animals
and can only imagine how sad the staff must be. I was pregnant
at the same time as Chai and our daughters were born a few days
apart. We have always had a special place in our hearts for
Hansa. Our thoughts are with the elephant keepers, staff and
all that loved Hansa. |
My heart goes out to all of you that helped raise Hansa, she
is out of her discomfort but I pray for all of you to heal.
She was a wonderful member of the zoo family and I will miss
her silliness very much. I had family from out of town last
year that were blessed to see her in action one day.
Thank you Hansa for all you did to brighten our days....we will
miss you terribly.
RIP Hansa, |
| I am sure you guys were devastated to find Hansa dead. I don't
believe there was anything wrong with her habitat or her care,
and I think most people know how good you guys are. Please know
we sympathize with and support you all, and appreciate how good
a job you do there. |
I
can't begin to express my grief over Hansa's death. The
little elephant held special significance to me (as she
did
to many others). When she was born in 2000, I was going through
chemotherapy for breast cancer. As part of my healing therapy
I visited the
zoo at least once a week to watch the endearing antics of
little Hansa. She gave me hope and courage and made me laugh.
I always
felt better
after leaving the zoo. As a result of my affection, I adopted
Hansa as my spirit animal and many friends and family members
started
giving me elephant figurines. I now have around 50. I also
sewed by hand an elephant quilt that shows Hansa next to
Chai. The
quilt
took about a year to finish and now hangs in my studio.
I am so saddened by this loss I have been crying all morning.
Hansa brought joy and supreme happiness to many people and I
hope she's frolicking in elephant heaven. I am now battling
my second round of cancer and wish I could visit her again.
My
deepest condolences for all the staff at the zoo who I know
share my grief. |
It
has taken this long for me to be able to write about how
I loved,
and will miss Hansa. I was there for days watching
Chai and her big belly, I own the tape of the birth, I love
the keepers and their sharing of stories . . . I never
could have imagined this ending.
Is there
anyway someone could let me know how Chai and the other
elephants are doing? How
have they been helped thru this? |
| WE ALL
LOVED YOU HANSA! I am so sad that Hansa the elephant died.
When I found out I just stopped the TV, walked around
the room and the rewound it and watched it again. I couldn’t
believe it. She was such a great elephant and I loved her so
much! She was so much fun to watch when she played in the water
with her mother. I even remember when we came and it was one
of the really hot days in the summer. Hansa was out of the water
and her mother and the keeper were both trying to coax her in.
They tried food, balls, everything and then just as we were
about to leave she got in. I was so excited! I work at the contact
area and I have no idea what it would be like to loose one of
the goats let alone an elephant that you have worked with your
whole life. I send my sympathy to the keepers in the elephant
barn and all the other elephants but especially Hansa’s
mother Chai. |
I'd
just like to add my condolences to the hundreds already
received. My heart goes out to those who loved Hansa the
most: her mother Chai, her "aunties", her caregivers
and keepers, and the entire Woodland Park Zoo family. As
deep a blow as this has been to the greater NW community, I
know it has really been so difficult for Hansa's family. When
I read the news, I just wanted so to reach out and put my
arms around Chai and comfort her. But I know the greater arms
of
Love are encircling all of Hansa's family and comforting them.
Hansa
will be remembered with smiles and great joy, because that's
what she brought to all of us. Her comical romps,
her frisky ways, her energy and vitality... what great gifts
to share. She drew a community and a greater family
to her.
I
feel in some ways like an "auntie" to
Hansa. Many
years ago, I was present at SeaTac airport when Thai Airways
brought little Chai from Thailand, and presented her to
the city of Seattle. I watched her grow, and always
felt a connection. And, as luck would have it, I
happened to be walking at Woodland Park, right by the
zoo, on the
day Hansa
arrived. We knew something was up with all the news
trucks, and the fact that the Zoo personnel "could
not confirm" anything. We
knew it was the day!
I'll
continue to always think fondly of little Hansa and the
joy she brought
to so many. My
deep appreciation to her keepers and caregivers for all
their wonderful care. |
Oh I was so sad to hear of Hansa's parting and am sending
thoughts to all who cared for her.
" We
who choose to surround ourselves with lives more temporary
than our own
live within a fragile circle, easily and often
breached.
Unable to accept it's awful gaps, we still would
live no other way.
We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never
fully understanding the necessary plan.
From "The Once Again Prince" by
Irving Townsend
Pleas could you let us know why this happened
as it was so sudden.
Thank-you and peace. |
| I was so
sorry to hear she was dead. I couldn't believe
it. She was 6 years old and she was dead. When
my dad showed me Hansa I felt very, very, very, very, sad. I
felt like I was going to cry. I have a toy elephant and
my whole family petted it and wished something about Hansa that
will come true. I am 6 years old, too. When I was
a baby Hansa came over to me and put her trunk on the glass. She
was very, very, nice to me. She is the cutest thing. I
am sorry that she is dead. She is so, so, so nice. |
i am sorry to hear that hansa died and though i never cared
for elephants i always thought she was cute and she had a small
space in my heart. i hope that more baby elephants can be reproduced
in the years to come.
P.S: if another baby elephant is born and it is a girl than
how about naming it Hansa Jr. or Hansa the second.
love with all my heart (and that is alot),
raquel,10 and1/2 year old and future marine biologist |
| Our
family was saddened to learn of the death of Hansa. Death
at such a young age never seems natural or fair. Hansa was
only
3 months younger than my own daughter. Hansa and the other elephants
are a family favorite. We visit the zoo frequently and don't
always have time to see everything but we always have to visit
the elephants. We will miss Hansa, she was special. This obviously
must be
a difficult time for the Staff and Volunteers at Woodland Park
Zoo. Though the weight of your pain is great know that the burden
of it is shared by so many, that is what community is for. Thank
you for all your good work and compassion. Be well. |
Just
wanted to send our condolences to all the zoo keepers and
especially Hansa's. I'm so sorry for your loss. We really
had a special 6 years with her.
I
was pregnant with my first child at the same time as Chai
was pregnant with Hansa. I
remember all the t.v. specials about
Hansa right before she was born. It's so funny, but I felt
especially attached to little baby Hansa as I gave birth
to my son only
a month after Hansa was born. Maybe it was all the extra
hormones, or just that it really was an especially wonderful
time in Seattle's
recent history. All I know is that every time we've been
to the zoo, we've always made a point to stop in and see
our little
elephant. We were actually just there to see Hansa a couple
of weeks ago with my son's Kindergarten class. I'm so thankful
for one more time to watch Hansa. She was getting a bath
and we had a great time watching her for several minutes.
I
hope you all know that we support you and are thankful
for your efforts. We love our zoo and all the animals. Best
wishes
and prayers for you all as you go through this difficult
time. |
| I was very
sad to hear of Hansa's death. She was very special to my family
and I. We grew up across the street from the zoo,
and still remember when Bamboo came as a little elephant. She
was "our" elephant, and so was Hansa. Hansa was so
much fun to watch, with her antics, and she made us laugh and
laugh. I remember visiting one time when a keeper was trying
to clean up, and Hansa was determined to get to that pile of
dung. She would go one way, then fake the other way. The keeper
would shoo her away, and she would pretend to leave, then turn
around and barrel back behind the keeper. She tried time and
again, and never succeeded, but she sure was determined! I took
my mother, who had a stroke to see her, and she brought great
joy to her as well. We will surely miss her. |
| How I cried when I read the news.I immediately remembered
visiting the zoo shortly after Hansa was born. Her little, loose
spaghetti-noodle like trunk wiggling around as she trotted along.
I've watched her grow and regret that the last time I was there
I didn't take the
time to go and see the elephants. She will be missed and mourned
by many. She is missed and mourned by me. |
| Like all
of the Seattle Area, and animal lovers, we were so saddened
by loss of Hansa. She was a joy to watch. We saw her
from the time she first went on view and last time on Sat. before
Mother's day. We know how all of the keepers at the Zoo were
excited at the pending birth of Hansa and watched Ken as he
walked Chi before the birth and "played" with Hansa
as a "child". We are sure by now you have contacted
Ken, but if you do so again, please tell him Don (from Safeway)
and Sally send their deepest sympathy. |
The
sadness at Hansa's passing has been very articulately chronicled
and
I join in mourning the shortness of her life
and celebrating that she had a very good life while she was
here. Seeing her frolic as a very young calf was such
a delight.
I
want to commend you on allowing the members of the elephant
family their private time with her body. It reminded
me of a day about 25 years ago during a visit to Kenya. We
drove along a dirt road and caught sight of grey stirring among
the trees. There was an eerie hush that went beyond the
usual noontime lull. We stopped and peered through the
trees to see a herd of elephants silently shuffling around the
body of one of their own. A couple of them nudged it with
their trunks then continued the shuffling walk around the fallen
family member. We realized they were coming to terms with
a loss and quietly moved on. It's a sight and feeling
I won't forget. I'm glad Woodland Park's little herd
was given time for this necessary elephant ritual. |
| We are very saddened to hear of Hansa's passing. We do not
live near the zoo but saw her video's on your site and of course
saw her on the news as well. Such a sweetie, she really enjoyed
the life she had! We send our love to her family at the zoo,
please keep on caring so well for all of your animals for many
years to come. |
| There's
no doubt that Hansa's existence, no matter how short, had
a huge impact on people. I'm reminded of a visit to the
zoo when I overhead a little boy after he rushed up to the elephant
exhibit and stated, "I didn't know they were real!" PETA,
et al can say what they want about zoos, but that comment sealed
it for me: we need you. And we need elephants to be a visible
reminder of what we could lose. Best to you on your work, your
dedication and commitment. |
| I am heartbroken
about the loss of our dear Hansa; and my heart also aches
for the Zoo's employees and other elephants
who I know all mourn her loss. I was so blessed to be able to
go to Hansa's 1st birthday party, and got a private "audience" with
her; and I still have the piece of her cake in my freezer --
it was the only piece with a pink frosting elephant on it and
I have always treasured it along with HER. It will take us all
a long time to recover from this shock, but we all should keep
the wonderful and cute memories of Hansa foremost in our minds.
She will ALWAYS be remembered and missed. God bless Hansa, and
her wonderful keepers and all the Zoo's employees and volunteers. |
I
know that you are now being inundated with emails, letters,
gifts and flowers in honor of Hansa's life. I wasn't going to
add to them, but upon going through some older photos I took
in the last few years, I came across Hansa playing with straw
and it was all over her head! What a mess she made, but was
having oh so much fun making it! And we, my two daughters, 10
and 18 and myself and husband we all entranced at her.
I
have followed the Zoo's progress in all fronts since we
moved out
to the Seattle area in 1988. Your facility has grown and
much improved for the animals. Not many places think about
putting their animals first as you do and for that we are
all greatful.
I am sorry that PETA and other animals rights' organizations
are seizing this time to try to advance their causes forward
and forgetting that there was a life lost here. A life that
was well taken care of and gave pleasure to all who saw
her. She taught so many children about animals and that
baby animals
act very much like human children in their antics and stubborness.
This helped many children, I am sure, to identify with them
and possibly help them to think a little differently about
these animals' future and what they can do to help ensure
their species
place in our world.
We
will miss her running, swimming, straw throwing, chowing
down, dust baths, water fights,
ball playing and her trying
to be a big girl in her trumpeting.
Please,
everyone take care there and keep up the good work you are
all doing.
We, the Karr family in particular,
appreciate
each and every one of you. |
While volunteering at Woodland Park this past weekend,
a number of visitors took the time to stop and share memories
of our
wonderful Hansa and to offer sympathy. I would like to say
how much this helped in dealing with the pain of losing her.
I can't
thank you all enough for your caring support.
I too
never knew an elephant could smile until our little Hansa
came
into our
lives. Our little bundle of joy made the whole
world around her smile back. The memories of her mother
teaching her to use her trunk, flipping it over her head so
she could
nurse, the video of her trying to get all four feet into
a small rubber tub ( I don't believe there was any water left
by the
time she succeeded), climbing a new log placed in the yard
that was just that little too high for her to climb, the
time
I caught
her picking up a brush and scrubbing momma during bath time
just like the keepers did, the fun she had in the pool,
to a couple of weeks ago watching her with her mom, pulling
hay
from
Chai's trunk to eat herself, it was an amazing 6 1⁄2
years.
Watching our keepers work with the elephants, helping
them cope during this time is further proof that they
couldn't be in better
hands. My heart goes out to them as it does to the Chai,
Watoto and Bamboo. I know that in time, memories of Hansa
will no longer
bring a tear to the eye, but will instead do what she
always did, and that is make us smile. |
| Our heart goes out to you.we used to live in Seattle so we
would see Hansa every week.She was a great elephant.My daughter
who is 12 cried when we seen it on the news. Hansa has a very
big place in our hearts.We will say prayers for you. We let
a balloon go in Hansa's name,my daughter wrote love messages
on it.Sorry for your terrible loss. How is Chai doing? It will
be interesting to know what she died from. |
I
am sure that words can not express the emotions that are
flowing through
the personnel at WPZ. I was hoping that instead
of sending my condolences, and adding my sadness to theirs… I
could send them words of profound adoration and gratitude.
I want to thank them for the efforts they have put in so we
could
all share the blessed life of Hansa.
Perhaps,
if it is not too soon after she has gone, I would like to
share (with the
zoo
personnel) a story. It was years ago..
before little Hansa had learned how to use her trunk, and
was stumbling gleefully over her toys. I remember when I
came to
see her for the first time, I was touched to see what followed.
While ambling clumsily through the elephant barn, kicking
her large ball, and tripping over a large log, nothing seemed
to
please her more than the fleeting moments when she happened
to bump into one of the keepers. I noticed, she would even
abandon her toys just so she could remain close to these
people. Though
the keepers were busily attending to their daily duties,
and may have appeared to some ignorant of the antics of
Hansa
just to gain their attention, I know that the behavior she
exhibited
would not have happened, had the keepers not loved her just
as much. I want to thank those of you who helped in the
care of this little elephant, and shared the joy of her
life with
us.
I
am not limiting my thanks to the keepers or curators alone.
I understand that the horticulturalists and even
the volunteers
shared in the joy, and miss her everyday. I want you all
to know, though Hansa’s death may seem a terrible
loss, many of us have gained so much. She was an ambassador
for the fading
elephants in India, and Africa! I understand that it is
very hard to raise an elephant domestically. The fact
that Hansa
lived for 6 1⁄2 years is a miracle, and a testament
of the great care that all of the zoo staff have for all
of the
animals in the zoo. From Cockroaches to Elephants, you
have all achieved great things!
I
know that my words can offer little comfort at this
time, but I wanted you all to know that your efforts
do not go
unnoticed. It is true that Hansa’s life was very
short, but she lived it to it’s fullest, because
of you. I’m sure,
wherever she is now, she is happy, and she will never
forget your care
and effort. Thank you for sharing Hansa with us. |
| Our family would like to thank the entire staff at the Woodland
Park Zoo for the beautiful gift you have given us in Hansa.
Her birth was a miracle
and such a symbol of hope for her species. We are all grieving
for her and our sympathy goes out to her herd, her keepers,
and the entire zoo staff.
I am blessed to be a family member of one of her keepers, and
we know just how much you all give of yourselves each and every
day in your dedication
to caring for these animals. Your message of conservation to
the general public is so very important. It just may be the
only hope these beautiful
creatures have for the future and their survival. We thank you
and support you 100%. |
| I am deeply
saddened over the untimely death of sweet 'little' Hansa.
I feel like a member of my own family is gone. I tracked
the journey of Chai to Missouri and back when she was taken
to mate with Hansa's father. I anxiously awaited the birth of
the baby elephant -- and had a dream about her birth on the
morning of the day she was actually born! I went to see her
several times in the first few weeks, anxiously waiting in line
with many other people to see our new baby. I attended the event
where Hansa was named, and had a chance to feed her more than
once at various zoo / Safari Club events. It was fun to watch
her grow. Every trip to the zoo included a visit to the elephant
house. Hansa signified hope for the future of her species, and
she really seemed to live out her name of "supreme happiness." Though
Hansa is gone, she taught us many lessons about hope and love
that will live on, along with her memory. I've had her 'baby'
picture / poster on the wall in my office for many years and
plan to leave it there. God bless Hansa, and the rest of us,
too. |
| My husband and I love elephants and were heartbroken to hear
about little Hansa. We cannot imagine what you are all going
through, and as sad as we are, it must be so much harder for
you to deal with. Our thoughts and sympathy are with all of
you and especially with Chai, Watoto, and Bamboo. We will miss
you, Hansa, and will never forget you. |
| I am 30
years old and I love Elephants. Hansa to me
was special because I remember when she was born. I was
there the afternoon of the day she was to be named and watched
her get a bath. I hadn't seen her in two years, but I
loved seeing pictures of her on tv or in the newspapers. I
will miss her greatly and was very upset when I heard she had
died. Compounded with that this week when I had to put
my dog to sleep it has been a tough few weeks. My love
for elephants is still strong and I know I will be back to see
the rest of the Elephants again when it is easier again. |
| I saw it in the news I'm very sorry about our darling elephant
she is in God's hands now and I'm sure we will see her at rainbow
bridge she will be greeting you and everyone that was taking
care of her. I know how it feels to lose a pet or a love one. |
I haven’t
been able to write until now because my heart was too numb
with grief to write. I break out in tears randomly
just about anywhere. I loved Hansa so much. I remember the
day she was born so well. My thoughts are now with her mom,
Chai
as she deals with the loss of her baby. Our zoo and our lives
will never be the same now.
I
loved watching Hansa play in her pond. I remember watching
her
a couple of years ago in the
pond wrestling with a “stick” she
wanted to bring into the water with her. It was rather a
large log. Like me, she loved the water and I will always
remember
we had that in common. I love and miss you so much Hansa.
God
be with all of you who worked with and cared for her. |
| I wanted to send my deepest sympathies about Hansa. My thoughts
and prayers are with the WPZ staff. She was truly a remarkable
and very loveable animal. She will be missed forever, but she
will always be remembered as well. |
| My
son and I saw Hansa for the first time on her First Birthday.
It was such a fun event.
We have seen her several times since. We are deeply saddened
by her death as all of
you are. She touched many lives. |
| Hansa brought
so much joy to those of us who visited the zoo. I can’t believe she’s gone and that I won’t
get to watch her anymore. Though my kids are grown, I had to
bring them regularly to see Hansa. She enchanted us with her
antics and her joy of life. When I think of Hansa, I always
think of her smiling though I’m not even sure elephants
can smile. But I’d take one look at that sweet little
elephant and swear she was just grinning right back at all of
us. Watching her play, amble under the bigger elephants, attempt
to drag a log, or just reach for a beloved carrot always made
me smile and made the day brighter. I could have stayed and
watched her all day as she frolicked—in fact, most of
the time my family would drag me reluctantly away from the elephants.
I can’t imagine an animal being more well-cared for or
well-loved in any other zoo than Hansa was. It was readily apparent
how much everyone at Woodlark Park Zoo loved her. She was indeed
our little princess. I feel as though my heart is broken with
her loss. I will always remember our little bearer of supreme
happiness. |
| I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved Hansa--a loss for
all of us, and especially for your elephant keepers, who have
such a close relationship with their animals. |
| My heart is broken over the loss of Hansa. Although I left
the Seattle area four years ago for the east coast, I still
carry newspaper clippings and photos from Hansa's birth and
first trips outside. I remember visiting her for the first time
and seeing this shy little elephant standing between her mother's
legs, occasionally glancing at the enthusiastic crowd. I was
so happy for her and the zoo and knew that Hansa would grow
to be a proud and powerful ambassador for her species. My heart
goes out to the zoo staff and everyone else who was as touched
by her as I was. I know she could not have received more love
and care than she did at Woodland Park Zoo. I will miss her
deeply. |
| I just wanted to say I am so sorry for your (our) loss. When
Hansa was born, I immediately went to the zoo's website and
printed pictures of her and have had them at my desk ever since.
She has brought me a lot of joy. What a sweetie. I can only
imagine what the people who cared for her and were with her
every day are going through. Last November right after her birthday
I took my boyfriend to the zoo because I hadn't seen Hansa in
a year. He had to drag me from her enclosure. She was a very
special animal. I made sure everyone who came to visit me from
the east coast got to see her as well. God bless her. |
To all at the Woodland Park Zoo,
We are from Liberty Lake, WA and were enjoying all the animals
at your zoo on the day that Hansa passed away. We could see
that the zoo employees were saddened, including the worker who
informed us of her death. We are very sorry for your loss and
express our condolences.
Woodland Park Zoo will forever be remembered as the first zoo
our 2 yr old daughter visited. She enjoyed her experience very
much and has been telling everyone she sees about the monkeys,
bears, goats, zebras, elephants, donkeys, etc.
Again, we are very sorry for your loss and know that you deeply
cared for Hansa. |
| My Daughters and I have a Zoo membership just to watch the
Elephants, they are by far our favorite animals at the Zoo.
We could watch them for hours. Hansa was a blessing to Seattle
and we were lucky to have her for the 6 years we did, we are
extremely saddened by the loss of her and our hearts go out
to her Elephant family. |
Hansa, I loved you! You were born ten days after me, and we
grew up together. I wish you were still alive. Poor Chai, I
send you a big hug.
With love, Maya, age 6 1/2 |
I have a special friend who is a refugee from Sudan. We went
to college together at Saint Martin's in Lacey, and used to
love to come visit the zoo in Seattle. My friend was homesick,
and found joy and comfort in visiting your excellent African
exhibit and in looking at all the animals in the zoo who reminded
him of home. On a hot summer day three years ago, we stood mesmerized
for a long time in the elephant forest, watching little Hansa
splash and play in the water. I had just received a devastating
diagnosis of juvenile diabetes, but Hansa's antics lifted my
spirits and brought a smile to my face. The memory of that day
holds a special place in my heart, and always will. Thank you
for letting her be part of our lives.
Yin Nhiar, Hansa. Rest
in peace. |
I spent many hours photographing Hansa and her parents when
I visited The Woodlands Zoo with my daughter.
I had read about
this beautiful baby and made a point of visiting the zoo
when I visited from Australia 3 years ago.
My
daughter rang me today and told me the terrible new about
Hansa’s
death.
I am grateful that I have so many happy images of
her, and the happiness I felt that day brings a warmth
to my heart.
She will live in our hearts and memories forever. |
| Peace to all.So sorry for the loss of such a sweet little
elephant, Please send love to Chai. Xoox |
| Our hearts go out to all of the wonderful caring loved ones
left behind. We are all so heartbroken and saddened by this
sudden passing. I hope that her mom is ok, Hansa will always
be remembered in our hearts. Me ke Aloha Hansa...May you roam
fre in the jungles of heaven... |
Not sure how to get a message to you, but want you to know
many here in St. Louis are thinking about you and sharing your
sorrow. Baby elephants are so precious, for so very many reasons,
and the loss is devastating. I first met Hansa through the book
about her when Sri 'relocated' here. Sri is very special to
me, being Thai, as I do a lot of work with Elephant Nature Park
and she reminds me of 'my' herd when I'm home in St. Louis instead
of where a big hunk of my heart lies.
Sharing your sorrow. |
I just wanted to share these two pictures that I took of Hansa
at our last visit to the zoo... The elephants have always a
favorite stop of mine during Woodland Park visits...
My sympathies to the keepers, Chai, and everyone else that this
pretty little baby touched in her short life. |
| My husband and I have been traveling since February, so did
not hear of Hansa's passing until today. This magical, beautiful
animal brightened so many lives. The first thing our grandson
Jaiden would ask for when we would go to the zoo would be the
elephant area. Hansa was 6 months older than Jaiden. I am reduced
to tears and my heart aches for her family, and for her extended
zoo family. She was taken for a reason, and what better way
to leave than by her mom's side? We will miss you, beautiful
girl. |
Dear Hansa,
We miss you very much. My heart is broken and my family is very
sad that you are no longer here. I have pictures of you that
we had taken from our many trips to the zoo. When I look at
them they make me fall to pieces. We will always remember you.
|
My daughter, Isabella, and I would like to express our
sadness about Hansa. Isabella was born shortly after Hansa
and always
a favorite to visit when at the zoo. We will miss her very
much. Our deepest condolences go out to her mother, Chai,
the other
two elephants and the zookeepers and staff.
Isabella’s
words: I feel bad for Hansa. I liked seeing her at the zoo.
She was mi favorite animal in the world. |
| Please
accept my condolences on the death of Hansa. I read today
that an animal rights groups is demanding an investigation
and that made me angry enough to write to you with my support.
How they could even contemplate that any of you were negligent
in our beautiful elephant’s death is proof of their ignorance
and confrontational nature. Don’t let them get you down.
I know that you, more than any of us, are saddened by this outcome.
Thank you for all of the hard work you do!! |
I have also read that the Animal Rights people want you to
close your elephant exhibit. Please, please don't give into
them. The world needs to keep our animals especially Elephants
in the public eye. I have been friends with some of the Ringling
trainers and have been to The Riddle Santuary in Arkansas. Elephants
need to stay in Zoos and other places where they can be worked
with and trained, and especially bred. At some point that is
where most of our elephants will survive.
Thank you for keeping
your elephants. Hope to someday visit your Zoo. |
Dear Zoo,
We miss Hansa the elephant. I know Hansa is in heaven. We love
you Hansa. We are so sad for Hansa's mommy and family. We
will pray for you.
I just heard about your loss of Hansa. |
Like so many others, Hansa was born right around the same
time as my oldest son. We brought him as an infant to see
the new baby elephant and we celebrated her fifth birthday
at the
zoo right along with his.
Just
last week we brought our new baby girl to go see "her
brother's elephant" for the first time. We marveled
at how much like out 6 1/2 year she was. She meant so much
to
the people of Seattle and represented all the hopes and
dreams we
had for our children. We send our warmest condolences to
Hansa's Zoo Family. |
All of you there, and Hansa's own family and animal friends
will be in my prayers, and in the prayers of so many others
who loved her.
Turn to those left who need you now; you will
find this a great source of comfort. |
| I am emailing you to ask that you accept and also pass on
my very deepest condolences to Dr. Kelly Helmick and the rest
of the staff who are suffering the loss of Baby Hansa. I love
animals so much, and I know what this loss feels like, as I
have been through it myself, in the not too distant past (August
1994). I share your tears and sorrow. |
Hansa brought such light and joy to our city! She was so dang
adorable. Whenever I would come to visit, I couldn't take my
eyes off her! I could tell from the start that she had won over
the handlers - their love for her was so obvious! I love watching
the video of Chai's journey to get pregnant and then the birth
of this special animal. Those tears of joy are now replaced
with extreme tears of sadness. My heart goes out to all the
zoo staff who cared for her. You are all in our thoughts! We
are all lucky to have had sweet Hansa for the short time we
did.
I hope Chai is pregnant again! Please give her hugs lots
of hugs. |
| After Hansa was born, I'd steal a few minutes each day while
at work to watch Hansa videos on the Zoo's website. No matter
how bad my day was, those videos always made me laugh and lifted
my spirits. To the staff and volunteers, I cannot imagine your
sorrow. My sincerest condolences. We grieve with you. Please
take good care of Chai and the rest of the elephants. |
I've spent many happy days at various zoos and always manage
to get to see the Elephants. As a kid, I loved being able to
feed them. The gentle but rough touch of their trunks stays
with me as an ingrained memory.
Which is why I was so sad to hear that Hansa, the six year
old star of Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo died yesterday.
So
sad.
I'm touched that the enclosure was closed while the
other Elephants were given time to grieve with the body,
as they
do in the wild. |
| Most of my friends and all of my family know that I have an
incredibly soft spot for that most wonderful animals, the Elephant. |
| I was distraught to learn of Hansa's death today. I moved
to Seattle in Hansa's first year and she was one of the reasons
I came to love the city so. I adore elephants and it was a delight
to be able to see such a cute little baby on a regular basis.
I looked forward to each zoo visit as I watched her grow over
the years. She was definitely the highlight of each visit. It
is hard to believe she is gone. My heart goes out to those of
you who saw her daily and to the other elephants. I hope that
WPZ will consider breeding Chai again, in the hopes that we
will one day have another baby elephant to visit. |
I'm very sorry that Hansa died. She was my favorite elephant
because she was as old as me!!!!!!! |
| I know she was beloved by all of you at the zoo. I know also
she was beloved by her herd. I'm sad for her mother and the
other two gals. I'm so concerned their natural tendancy would
be to leave this place where the baby died. They have nowhere
to go. Hansa brough me so much joy in a terrible year of my
cancer treatment. I have a picture of her with her spanking
new trunk right in a keepers crotch. She was feisty and inspired
me to be feisty too. My heart goes out to all of the WPZ family
and friends who truely celebreated Hansa's arrival and presence.
I'm so sad you loving folks must now face her loss. And I am
so sad for Chai. |
| I was finally able to take my husband to the zoo last weekend.
He had never seen Hansa or the zoo, being a recent transplant.
I hadn't seen Hansa since she was a baby. We enjoyed the afternoon
and watching Hansa play with her ball. When he told me on Friday
that Hansa had passed away, I felt crushed. Our sorrow is nothing
compared to the sorrow of the zoo family and Hansa's family.
Our deepest condolences to them and everyone who was touched
by Hansa. |
| We live
in NY but had to come meet Hansa after she was born. Yes we
came out to Seattle just to meet a baby elephant. She
was cuter than you could ever imagine.....we saw her play with
her ball, take a bath, play with the water hose, and chase around
after the other elephants. We have watched her grow up via the
computer. As a special treat my boyfriend found the "Hansa" book
on the internet this year. I got to come back and see how she'd
grown on a trip for work in March. She was still playful and
adorable. She will live on in the hearts of everyone who met
her. We will remember her mother Chai in our thoughts, as well
as the zoo staff who must miss her terribly. Find out what happened
to her so it can be used to help other elephants. |
| I was one of Chai's keepers for a couple of years in the early
80s, and I'm just knocked sideways by this. Love you Chai, Tote,
Boo. Be good to each other. |
| Rest in Peace sweet friend. We will miss you. Our hearts are
with all who cared for this sweet and friendly creature. We
are mourning with you. |
She was
very close in age to our younget son, and I remember the day
he first met her, from his stroller. That day we got
him his very own plush "Hansa", and she's slept on
his bed ever since.
RIP, dear Hansa. |
| Our prayers and condolences are with all those who knew and
loved Hansa. Visiting her was always a highlight of our visits
to the zoo. |
| Hansa was a beautiful little girl with such a sweet personality.
I always loved visiting her, and I will miss her very much.
My condolences to her elephant and human families. It's a very
sad day. |
| I'M SAD THAT HANSA DIED. I'M SO SO SO SAD. I'M SO SAD THAT
YOU FOUND HER DEAD. - NATE 3-1/2. |
| I Feel Like The Other Elephants Must Feel. - Macy Age 6 |
| My name is Sarah, and I am a photography student at Holy Names
Academy. I went to the zoo about a week ago to take photos for
my photography class. I took a few pictures of Hansa and I thought
you should have them. We're very sad to see her go. |
We just heard of Hansa's death and are so sad. Our first memory
of her is when she was in the pool swimming and all you could
see was her trunk sticking up, it looked like a snorkel. We
will miss you Hansa.
Love Justine (age 9) |
| I want to say hi to Chai and hope she is doing well. |
| Hansa- you loved life, carrots and your ball. I always loved
watching you at bathtime. |
| What a
sad day! My heart goes out to the keepers and
to the other elephants. Chai must be so heartbroken. Even
though we have only been in Seattle two years, I volunteer at
the zoo, and always made a stop by the elephants. It made
me smile to see Hansa play, and to see what a wonderful mother
Chai is. Hansa and all the animals made moving here away
from my family a little easier, as they became family for me. I
will still stop by the elephants, but my heart will be heavy
that Hansa is not there. |
Hansa's
sudden death is a terrible and sad tragedy, not just for
the WPZ team who've done their best to care for their small
herd but for the elephant population as a whole. As an
active participant in both WWF and IFAW, I am more than aware
of the decimation of the natural elephant population - at least
20,000 elephants are killed every year for their ivory alone,
a trade that has yet to be deemed 100% illegal internationally. And
just in the news this week was a report that forest elephants
are quickly spiraling towards extinction as they are being slaughtered
for their meat. While organizations like IFAW and WWF are helping
fund the employment of rangers to protect the wildlife parks
established as a safety zone for seriously endangered animals
such as the elephant, those hired to protect are being killed
themselves (see the IFAW website for further info).
Hansa's
birth was hope for our dwindling elephant population. With
her death, I only wish that all of those affected by her loss
will celebrate her memory by participating in organizations
such as WWF and IFAW to help Hansa's species as a whole. Even
becoming a WPZ member is a simple step.
When I was child growing up in the '70's, I would never
have thought I'd live to see the extinction of such beautiful
and
grand creatures as the tiger, the polar bear, the elephant. Now
sadly, I believe I will.
My
deepest condolences to the WPZ staff. |
| The cliché is elephants never forget, we won’t
ever forget our little Hansa. |
| Hansa was
born just a couple weeks after my son was. We were in the
NICU with him as he was two months premature and the
nurses told me about the new baby elephant. I began following
her story and she began to symbolize hope and possibilities
for me – if a baby elephant could be born into this world
and survive, so could my son. He did, and we have been
visiting Hansa ever since; she has always been the highlight
of our trips to the zoo. She will be greatly missed – she
brought us so much joy and happiness, and we send our love to
all of her family at the zoo. |
| My daughter was nearly one when Hansa was born.. We spent
many visits to the zoo watching Hansa play and grow.. So sweet..
We are extremely sad that she died.. So sad for her mother,
Chai, and her auntie elephants.. The zoo keepers and staff..
Our hearts are in grief.. What a sweet little elephant.. So
much joy from her life brought to children and adults.. So much
grief and sadness in her passing.. Blessings to all and may
she be in a peaceful place now... Tears.. Our hearts are with
you. |
| We don't
know why you had to leave little Hansa but your work here
must have been done. We as just humans do not know
the reasons why a young life ends so soon but in time I am sure
that we will learn. I hope that your life here on earth
was fitting such a wonderful creature as yourself. You
have taught many people many lessons and I hope that those lessons
live on. Peace to you little Hansa-run wild, run free
over that Rainbow bridge! |
My tears
will become rain as will the tears of everyone who will grieve
your(our) Hansa, I feel as if I've lost a member
of my own family!! How is her mom? Her herd? Her handler
family... I can't see the keyboard because of the tears! My
stepdaughter tells me it's the circle of life, we believe that
humans must truly care for animals and heal the earth. you
all make us feel as if we really can make a difference in how
people percieve animals, we love the work you do !
Thank you all, for including (us) regular folks in
so much of her life. You all are so awesome in your loving
way towards all of her herd. It's a visible love. My
arms are around you, and my heart goes out to you all. |
| My husband,
myself and our 4 year old daughter Hannah are devestated by
the sudden lose of Hansa. As members, we
visit the zoo regularly and we truly feel like we have lost
a member of our family. This morning we had to sit our
daughter down and explain to her that Hansa went to heaven,
it was so incredibly hard and we were all in tears. Every
night we ask our daughter who she would like to pray for. On
Wednesday night she chose to pray for Hansa and her mommy! How
ironic, like she knew that Hansa needed prayer...she had never
prayed for
Hansa before. We are all in love with Hansa and have many great
memories of her. The last time we saw her was on May 5th
when our daughter got her head stuck in the fence at the elephant
pool while we were sitting and watching Hansa playing with her
ball that she loved so much! She truly is an angel and
has blessed our lives tremendously, she will be missed. Our
daughter has had a picture of Hansa as a baby hanging in her
room for 2 years and it is one of her favorite things to look
at. To the zookeepers and staff: Our prayers go out to
you! As terrible as we feel we can only imagine how devastating
this is for all of you who loved and took care of Hansa everyday. Thank
you for all of your hard work and dedication to all of the animals
you care for. Our thoughts and prayers will continue to go out
to Chai and the zookeepers as you try to get through and grieve
this difficult time. We love you Hansa!!! You will be
missed!!! See you
in Heaven (from the mouth of our 4 year old)!!! |
| My family
and I are really sorry about Hansa. She was
our favorite elephant, not to mention the cutest. We will
always remember her, always. We always have loved her. The
most important thing is that you remember her (and love her). |
| I returned home just a moment ago and heard that Hanza had
crossed over rainbow bridge. I read that she passed quietly
in her sleep. I do know that you had done everything possible
to resolve her illness. For me I shall miss her. I do hope care
is taken for her little body with the burial. Thank you for
all the caring and extra you all had done for her. |
| I can't even imagine how sad you all are. I feel like one
of my own pets has died. We have taken our numerous nieces and
nephews to the zoo many times to see Hansa and all of the other
beloved animals.Thinking of you during this difficult time. |
| What joy this little elephant brought to so many! A sad lesson
of the circle of life for many little children, and this sad
not so littler person! |
| Our most
sincerest condolences go out to everyone at the Woodland Park
Zoo. |
My nephew
and I loved little Hansa. He and I would watch her play....
I am so sad. :( |
| Hansa was
born just a few months after my youngest child, and it's been
fun watching her grow up. I know mother
elephants grieve at the death of their young, and my heart goes
out to Chai. Best wishes to the herd and their keepers. |
A little
bit of me died with Hansa. She was our beautiful
little baby that we were all so proud of.
I cannot begin to describe how much I will miss her and empty
spot she leaves.
My deepest condolences to the entire zoo staff. |
| I was so sad to hear of Hansa passing..tears of sadness has
been with me this afternoon... I enjoyed the time and will cherish
all the memories I have of little Hansa when we would visit
her.......my deepest condolence to the elephant herd and their
keepers...Rest in Peace Little Hansa. May your memories live
on sweet little one. |
| I have
been blessed to be a part of Hansa’s life from
the beginning: my brother in law is one of the elephant keepers
and my sister also works at the Woodland Park zoo. While
my own heart is breaking, I can’t imagine how sad the
zoo staff must be. All day I have been remembering her
through pictures, re-reading the book written about her. Remember
how she loved her exercise balls? We are all a little
richer because of the joy she brought to so many people. Now
in our grief may we find some solace in her short life: she
lived life to the fullest, she loved completely and she was “supremely
happy.” |
| While we
humans are sad, I also want to remember the other elephants:
Chai of course, Watoto, and Bamboo. Their grief
must be immense as well. |
My heart
felt condolences. My tears join with yours. I was blessed
to be the first person in line on her first viewing
day. Not only was she precious & adorable but the keeper
took my video camera right into the enclosure with her & Chai
to film her for me. I will treasure that video even more
now.
Saddest day at our Zoo in a long time. |
| On a day dominated by the glorification of human excess, we
lose Hansa. a genuine treasure, better on four legs than many
on only two. Her love of each day was a boost for people of
all ages. My condolences to the zoo staff; we honor every moment
you spent helping to nurture this great life. |
| My thoughts
and prayers for comfort and strength during this sad time
are with Chai, Boo and To, and with all of Hansa's
human keepers and friends. Hansa has a special place in
my heart, and in my "brag book". Whenever anyone asks
me if I have any grandchildren, I reply, "Not yet, but
I have a grand elephant!" and show off the pictures I carry
in my purse. Hansa will be deeply missed. |
| I also
loved Hansa very much and I was lucky to meet
her a couple times. She will always be in my thoughts and heart.
RIP Hansa, you are now in the kingdome of Heaven alongside your
proud father Onyx. I will say a prayer to the keepers and elephant
family for all they have done for this "little ball of
sunshine" since she did brighten up our lives with a smile. |
| I am so sorry about Hansa. When I heard the news, it broke
my heart. I remember the first day the public was able to see
her and she looked so cute! I just wanted to squeeze her! My
mom and I waited at least 3 hours to see her. We prayed for
Chai when she was pregnant, and my old elementary class went
on a field trip and kept track of her throughout her first year.
On a personal note, my family kept a little baby book for her.
Whenever an article came out about her, we would cut it out
and put it in our book. She will most definitely be missed.
It's like a member of our family has died. We are praying for
the herd and for the entire zoo staff. |
| Friends
laughed at us because we always knew how old Hansa was: we
have a son born November 1999 and a daughter born November
4, 2001, so Hansa right in between was easy to remember. Hansa's
first birthday antics were the headlines the day we brought
Naomi home. She was always our first destination with
out-of-town friends; in a world where we hear so much about
the plight of wild animals, she was a ray of hope. Blessings
on all of you for your dedication. |
| I just
found out about Hansa The Elephant's sudden passing over the
Rainbow Bridge. I never got to see Hansa in person,
and now I wish I had; she was so beautiful. Please accept
my condolences for such a fine little girl, for she will be
sorely missed by all of us in the Puget Sound area of Washington
State! |
I received
the news of Hansa's death from my daughter, a teen volunteer
at the zoo. On Mother's Day, 2007, my daughter
took me on a special tour of the zoo and made sure I got to
see Hansa and Chai. Hansa was out by the pool playing
with a ball. I could hardly tear myself away from her,
she was so adorable. On June 5, 2007, on a school field
trip, there was a girl in my group who had never seen an elephant
in person before. I took her to the elephant forest and
made sure she got to see Hansa for herself. It was a special
treat for me to be able to share the elephants with this young
lady. We are all very saddened by Hansa's passing and
send our thoughts and prayers to Chai and all of the zoo staff.
I have several digital photos of Hansa playing with the ball
by the pool on Mother's Day. I would be glad to share
them, if the zoo staff is interested. |
| My heart is broken and filled with sadness for the lost of
cute Hansa. The news made me cried. I can't imagine how hard
this is for all of you. My deepest condolences for your loss. |
| For Hansa’s first year I came to the zoo several days
a week just to visit her. Her smile and fuzzy head always
made me smile. She has a very special place in my heart,
as she does with so many people. My thoughts are will
everyone at Woodland Park Zoo especially Chai. |
Please
accept my sincere sympathy for the loss of Hansa. I,
too, am very sad. She always brought a smile to
my face when I saw her when I visited the Park. She
will be missed. May we all find comfort in the wonderful
memories of our little girl!
Please continue with a breeding program for our Asian elephants. It
will be Hansa's legacy. |
| Just wanted
to let you know how much Hansa will be missed!!! I
am just soooo saddned to hear about her death!!! Our daughter
Jessica (born in July 2000) is as old as Hansa was......Every
time we would go to the zoo she was a must see!!! We were
always facinated how much she had grown, and how cute she was! It
was always an adventure to walk over to "find" her
and where she might be that day with the other elephants. She
will always be with us in or hearts...it is just so hard to
believe she is gone. Sending the Zoo family all of our
love and prayers....... |
| Hansa was
my favorite elephant. I enjoyed seeing her. She
made me really happy. I loved Hansa. (This message
was from our eight year old.) Our familty has visited
her ever since she was born. We will miss seeing her. |
I am so terribly sad to hear about Hansa's passing. What a
darling she was! My friend Jeff and I anticipated her birth
as if she were a human child. I remember the first time we visited
her; we could not take our eyes off her. I went to see her frequently
while living in Seattle, and made sure to take my favorite little
ones to visit her also.
My most heartfelt condolences go out to the whole Zoo staff,
and especially Chai. Bless you all. |
| I loved Hansa since she was born. I'm crying while I write
this. The zoo will never be the same with out her. |
| Beautiful
Hansa. Two weeks after I moved to Seattle,
Hansa was born and lived just a few minutes away. She
was amazingly adorable to watch and I will miss her so very
much. My deepest condolences to the zoo staff. |
| What a
beautiful little soul, who did such important work in such
a short time. I have spoken so often of "the
baby elephant who lives on my street..." How blessed
we have all been. |
| I remember when she was born, it was so exciting! My mom and
I, two middle aged women, came down to the zoo to see the baby.
She will be deeply missed, she looked so happy. |
| As a volunteer
myself, I know how beloved the elephants are by their keepers,
and my heart goes out to them at this sad
time, as well as to our whole Zoo community, staff, volunteers
and our faithful visitors who love the Zoo so much. Thanks
to our keepers, Hansa's short life was a happy one, and I know
that the other elephants are being comforted both by each other
and by these wonderful men. Love and appreciation to you
all. |
| I am so saddened to hear about little Hansa passing away.
I loved watching her splash around in the water. She was a cutie
pie and I will miss her so much. My condolences to all of you
at the zoo and specially to Hansa's mom, Chai. My thoughts and
prayers with all of you at this difficult time. |
| My family and I are so deeply saddened by the passing of this
beautiful creature. Today, we remembered fondly the first time
we saw her as a small calf. Our thoughts are with all of you
at this difficult time. |
| We heard
about Hansa's death today and we were deeply saddened. We
recall seeing her shortly after her birth, and she was the most
adorable baby elephant we had ever seen. Hansa's life
was much too short, but during her 6 1/2 years, she brought
much happiness to those who were fortunate enough to meet her. Our
thoughts and prayers are with all of you (and of course, Hansa's
mother and the herd) during this very sad time. |
| My heart
has been broken and the tears won’t stop. I
will miss you Hansa! My heart goes out to your mother
Chai in her moment of great lose. You were a special joy
to this city and you leave a void. I look at your photos
is total disbelief that you are gone, but only physically, you
will always be present in our hearts. RIP |
| I am deeply saddened by the passing away of our beloved Hansa.
She was our family favourite at the zoo. Heartfelt condolences
to the entire Woodland park zoo team. We will miss you dearly
Hansa. |
| Gone too
soon....my heart is breaking. Thank you for
the memorial page and the opportunity to share our grief. Please
take good care of Chai and allow her to mourn this terrible
loss. |
I
read about Hansa's passing yesterday afternoon and was devastated.
I really can't stop crying, I am so sad and brokenhearted.
My
heart goes out to all of you at Woodland Park, especially
Chai and the other elephants, and to the keepers and staff.
Also
to all of the children and their parents who have to break
the news and try to explain. Why? She was so cute, funny and
special, incredibly beloved and extremely well cared for.
Maybe God just wanted her back. We are all on loan here, after
all.
Hansa
was a jewel, an absolute jewel. She will be deeply missed. |
| I keep
tearing up every time I think of her. What
a terrible loss. I will miss her. Kisses to Chai. |
| Hansa, you were my sunshine. Now I try to help all elephants
after seeing you. |
| I was there the day after you were born; who could have known
a 250 pound baby could be so adorable! We will miss you... |
| I am so
heartbroken and sad for you all and us, to have
lost her. One of My Mothers greatest Joys was following Hanza,
and trying to name her. Visiting her was such a highlight in
Mom's life and mine. I wheeled Mom up to the center, but she
was adamant about standing up and saying hello to Hanza....Thank
you for birthing her here for all to love, Thank God she passed
in a loving and caring Zoo! |
We
heard about Hansa the elephant dying and we are very sad
about
it. We understand that she died at a very early
age. We'll miss her.
~ Jennifer, age 10 1/2
P.S.
from Jennifer's mom, Karen. Jennifer
was not quite 4 years old when Hansa was born, and it
was such an exciting time for her to see little Hansa. We are so
very sorry, and know that you will miss her terribly. We
will too. We wish you comfort at this sad time.
|
| It hurts
to lose Hansa – I have cried and cried and
cried as if she were my own personal elephant. That is
how many of us feel I know. I am sorry for everyone who
feels this pain. She was the most beautiful elephant I
had ever seen. |
It is with deep sadness that I learned about the passing of
Hansa. My heart-felt condolences go out to everyone at Woodland
Park Zoo who had the wonderful opportunity to handle and work
with her during her short, but wonderful life.
I have a little stuffed Hansa sitting on my desk – something
that I found at Sea-Tac Airport while I waited for my flight
passing through Seattle and back home to Phoenix on my way back
from Edmonton last year. As I read the news, I just looked over
at her and felt some sadness. I was in Seattle when she was
born and I remember all the hoopla from the birth, subsequent
web photos, the naming ceremony, and everything else. RIP, our
sweet little one…you will be sadly missed by everyone. |
| We just heard about Hansa. We are so
sad! We remember when this wonderful animal was born and
we went to visit as soon as she was on view. Through
the years we've visited to watch her grow, play and interact
with the other animals. Hansa will certainly be missed
in our family. |
| I was at
work today when I heard the news of Hansa's passing. A
great sadness came over me. She was such a precious little
soul. I'm very glad that my husband and I had the opportunity
to see Hansa in person. She brought us much joy and laughter
and left this planet way too soon. My husband and I share
in your grief, we feel like we have lost a family member. Our
hearts truly go out to the zoo personnel and to Chai. Rest
in peace little one. |
| I was shocked
to hear of Hansa's passing this afternoon. I
only had the privilage of seeing her a few times over her short
life, but each time was a special joy and a treat. I have
enjoyed the children's book written about her and will cherish
it especially now. She was so wanted by everyone, the
zoo, the employees, the volunteers and the people of Seattle
who came to see her. Her long awaited birth was so exciting
and filled with possibilities that will never come true now. We
will miss you little Hansa. |
| I am so extremely sad to hear about the passing of Hansa.
How her Momma and all of the human parents she had must feel.
I sit and cry watching the pictures of her on her beautiful
memorial page. Thank you Chai for giving the visitors and staff
of the Woodland Park Zoo such a beautiful baby for the short
6 1/2 years. |
| I am so
sorry to learn that Hansa died. She was a beautiful
animal and brought such joy to Seattle. She was a treasure
and will be missed. |
| Please comfort Chai for us. We
are very sad to have lost her little girl. |
| I would
like to express my deepest sympathy.....Hansa was a beloved
part of our family as well and she will be missed. In
9/2000 I found out I was pregnant with my second child and my
father used Chai's pregnancy to ease the anxiety of my 2 year
old daughter they made frequent trips to the zoo and watched
and waited for that glorious day in November. Through
the last six years my daughter has fallen deeper and deeper
in love with Hansa We bring her down once a month and she sits
and watches Hansa for hours on end her elephant collection
has grown ten fold with each one being named Hansa. My
Daughter and I were on a field trip on Wednesday to the zoo
and she assured Hansa that we would be back this weekend so
they could spend time together and visit. Breaking the
news to her tonight was tough as her father is serving in Iraq
and she has used her time with Hansa as a healing and a supportive
friendship she seemed to really connect with Hansa and Chai. For
Christmas this year she has asked that we adopt an rogue
elephant and has recently complete a report on endangered
elephants. Thank you so much for giving my daughter
a friend and a compassion for animals. Though she will
be missed Hansa gave so much to us and we learned so much
from her and for that we will be forever thankful to the Woodland
Park zoo and those who worked so hard to bring such a wonderful
gift into our life. |
I am so
sad to hear the news of Hansa's death. My heart
goes out to
Chai and all of the staff and zoo visitors who knew and loved
her. |
I just
wanted to say how sorry I was to hear of Hansa's death. I
remember
so vividly the way she brought our city together when
she was born, both
from the contest to name her and from all our excitement about
this new
goofy, sweet little creature brought into the world in OUR zoo. We
were
all so excited and proud to get to watch her grow up! I
was devastated when
I heard this afternoon that she had died, and I can't imagine
what all the
zoo staff and elephant keepers are going through. My thoughts
are with you
all and with Chai and the rest of Hansa's family. Please
don't let this
stop you from continuing to work with elephants at Woodland
Park -- without
the amazing work you all do, we never would've gotten to have
Hansa in our
lives at all, and what a tremendous loss that would've been. |
We are so sorry about Hansa's death. She was a wonderful ambassador
to and for Seattle.We have followed her journey since before
birth, and feel fortunate that we got to see her.
She had a big impact on all of us as we watched her grow and
develop, she was a joy.
It is especially hard on you, her keepers and friends.
We hope the other elephants, and her mom will be fine after
their grieving.
If you decide to have her mounted, a statue made or whatever,
please let everyone know so that we can make some kind of a
contribution in her memory. |
| What a
sad, sad day for Seattle. Sweet little Hansa
is gone too soon. As a “native” of Seattle,
I along with everyone else was so thrilled when she was born. We
all had such hope that she would live a long, happy life. Sadly
I know that while her life was not long, it was filled with
joy and happiness. My sincerest sympathy to the herd,
both human and elephant. |
My heart
goes out to those who cared about and worked with our little
elephant, Hansa. She was the darling of many
of our eyes and to lose her at age 6 makes this a very
sad time. As hard as this for me I know it has to be much
much worse for those at the zoo who loved this little funny
elephant.
My heartfelt symapthy. |
| I was terribly sad to find out about Hansa's unexpected death.
How heartbreaking. |
| I cannot
tell you how sorry I am to learn of Hansa's passing. It
is truly a great tragedy for our area. I so enjoyed watching
her romp as a youngster. I can imagine your staff is all
in shock. My heart goes out to all of you, as well as
to Chai as I know that elephants mourn their own. |
| I, like many others in Seattle, was so sad to hear of Hansa's
passing. It was such a joy to go to the zoo and watch her play
with her toys and interact with the other elephants. I'll miss
her fun little personality...RIP, Hansa! |
