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Animal trainer Marcel Bassuer with Limba, the Asian elephant at the Bowmanville Zoo.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail

A 50-year-old elephant at the Bowmanville Zoo has died.

The zoo east of Oshawa confirmed that Limba was euthanized at about 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

She had recently appeared in the town's Santa Claus parade and could often be seen greeting guests in the zoo's parking lot.

The elephant also appeared in movies, which along with her parade appearances, drew criticism from animal rights activists.

The zoo says Limba was walking through the zoo on Monday but became very ill in the evening.

The cause of her illness is not yet known but the zoo said it would be investigating.

"We have always been very clear that Limba would not suffer. Our decision was made to honour that commitment," the zoo said in a statement.

Limba first arrived at the zoo in 1989.

"Although Limba is no longer with us she will live in our hearts and memories forever," the zoo said.

The Toronto Zoo recently moved its three remaining elephants to the PAWS animal sanctuary near Sacramento, Calif.

Toronto city council voted in 2011 to send the three aging elephants to the sanctuary after animal rights advocates voiced concern for their welfare.

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