Queenie, the famous water-skiing elephant, dies in Valdosta

VALDOSTA -- Operators of a south Georgia theme park say an Asian elephant that gained fame by water skiing has died.

The Valdosta Daily Times reports that 59-year-old Queenie was euthanized Monday morning after her health deteriorated.

Al Kordowski, director of zoological operations at Wild Adventures in Valdosta, said the decision was made to euthanize the animal due to her declining quality of life and chronic health issues.

Queenie was born in 1952 and came to the south Georgia theme park in 2003 to live out her retirement.

Park officials said she was considered to be one of the oldest Asian elephants in North America.

Wild Adventures officials said in a statement that Queenie was known as the world’s only water-skiing elephant, and performed during the late 1950s and 1960s. She also played the harmonica.

This story was originally published June 3, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Queenie, the famous water-skiing elephant, dies in Valdosta."