ONE of Colchester Zoo's favourite elephants has been put down after suffering from serious health problems.Rosa had been part of a circus but came to the zoo in 1998 where she quickly became popular with both staff and visitors.

ONE of Colchester Zoo's favourite elephants has been put down after suffering from serious health problems.

Rosa had been part of a circus but came to the zoo in 1998 where she quickly became popular with both staff and visitors.

The African elephant gave birth to Jambo in 2004 but since then showed signs of severe discomfort.

A team of experts carried out a series of investigations into her condition, but concluded surgery was not a viable option.

Rosa, who was thought to be between 25 and 30 years old, was given painkillers when in discomfort but by May keepers were reporting the medication was no longer proving effective and her condition appeared to be worsening.

She was examined for a second time to see if there had been any changes in her condition and it was decided to try a brand new drug.

Despite continuous monitoring during the past six months no improvement was seen and on the advice of the veterinary team, Rosa was put down on Tuesday.

A post mortem will be held in a bid to provide a better understanding of her physiological and anatomical condition.

A zoo spokeswoman said: “It is hoped that a memorial fund will be set up in Rosa's memory that will be used to support elephant conservation in the wild.

“To put any animal to sleep is a hard decision but it is especially difficult when dealing with such a large, intelligent, and well-loved animal as Rosa.

“However, her worsening discomfort was compromising her welfare to the point that no other option was available.”