Mona was the first Asian elephant to be bought to the El Paso Zoo in November 1956. Mona was born in the wild in 1954. When she first came to the zoo she weighed 7oo pounds. During the 1950s, the El Paso Zoo collection of animal began to increase and the zoo begin to develop. The first El Paso zoo was created in the 1940s at Washington Park. Mona was moved to the Asia addition in 1995 when it was built. Mona died in 2001 at the age of 47 at the El Paso Zoo.
Photo: Dated 1992 taken, by James Ward.
In this photo Mona was celebrating her 39th
birthday. Interested in more photos like this?
Call the El Paso County Historical Society at
(915) 533-3603 or come visit us at 603 West Yandell.
We are open on weekdays from 10 to 2 or by appointment
Joseph Longo
EPCHS Volunteer
