Cambodia's famous elephant dies after tooth infection

Sambo - the beloved and iconic Asian elephant of Phnom Penh (Cambodia), has died nine years after being released into the sanctuary.

In a statement on the evening of October 19, the Elephant Valley Project (EVP) said that 63-year-old elephant Sambo died that evening. According to EVP, the elephant's health had been deteriorating over the past month after a long period of tooth infection.

In 2014, Sambo the elephant was released into a sanctuary in the remote Mondulkiri province in northeastern Cambodia and placed under the care of EVP.

Since 1980, elephant Sambo has been carrying tourists at the historical site of Wat Phnom in the capital Phnom Penh.

This elephant stopped carrying passengers in 2012 due to a foot infection and there were many complaints that Sambo caused traffic congestion.

Cambodia is home to nearly 400 wild Asian elephants, living mainly in the Cardamom Mountains, as well as Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri provinces, according to conservationists.

Sambo is one of about 70 domesticated elephants in the Southeast Asian country. Asian elephants are classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.