Famous Cambodian elephant Sambo dies after 9 years of retirement

File picture of Sambo being fed fruit during a Buddhist ceremony on the outskirts of Phnom Penh in 2014 before her departure to Mondulkiri. - PPP

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua): Sambo, a beloved and iconic Asian elephant of Phnom Penh passed away at the age of 63 after nine years of retirement, the Elephant Valley Project (EVP) said in a news release Thursday (Oct 19) night.

Sambo had given rides to tourists at the Wat Phnom historical site in the capital since 1980 until 2012 when she could not work due to a combination of a foot infection and complaints that she caused traffic jams.