A zoo is facing criticism from animal rights activists after an Asian elephant died - 25 years after he sustained a leg injury while in captivity there . Rama the elephant , who completed paintings with his trunk , died Monday , Oregon Zoo officials announced on Facebook . He was 31 . 'Rama had experienced a sharp decline in mobility in recent weeks , an issue stemming from a 25-year-old injury to his left front leg , ' the zoo said in the post . Scroll down for videos . Missed : Rama the elephant was euthanized this week at the age of 31 by Oregon Zoo officials . His leg was injured after female elephants shoved him into a moat in 1990 . Skill : Rama used his trunk to create paintings , which reportedly earned over $ 100,000 in sales . It continued 'The treatments that had been successful for many years were no longer easing his discomfort , and so — with sadness and compassion — our animal-care staff decided the most humane course of action was to euthanize him . ' The elephant 's 32nd birthday would have taken place on Wednesday . Studies vary on how long Asian elephants live in captivity . A 2008 study which looked at Asian elephants in European zoos says they have a median life expectancy of 19 years . A 2004 study indicated a 36-year median for Asian elephants in North America . Zoo veterinarian Jim Storms said in a release on the Oregon Zoo 's website that Rama 's 2013 tuberculosis diagnosis did not play a role . Deputy Director Chris Pfefferkorn said in the release the leg injury took place in 1990 as Rama was sexually maturing . He said in what is considered normal activity for the animals , older female elephants shoved Rama out of the herd and into a moat . Courtney Scott , a leader of the protest group Free the Oregon Zoo Elephant , told KOIN 'He should n't have been put in a herd with adult females when he was young . I think that is a grave error on the part of the zoo and just shows what happens when elephants live in zoos . ' Artwork : One of Rama 's paintings - made by using his trunk - is seen here . Friendship : Rama ( left ) is seen with female elephant Chendra . Memories : Rama is seen in this 1991 photograph , one year after his leg was injured . 'Well , Rama sustained the injury before any of the folks that work here were here , ' the zoo 's elephant curator Bob Lee countered in an interview with KOIN . He went on 'They made the best decision they could at the time . They were trying to give Rama the opportunity to stay in that herd situation . ' Scott also told the television station that Oregon Zoo does n't have enough room to hold the elephants . Zoo staff , however , told KOIN construction on a larger elephant enclosure is underway . Lee told the television station 'Rama was a really special elephant . He had strong bonds with the folks that worked with him , to the community . 'We had a lot of people that would come out every Sunday and watch him paint . We had a lot of people that grew up with him . ' Zoo officials said Rama 's paintings have been showcased by the Mark Woolley Gallery . One woman , Calley O'Neill , painted with the elephant for five summers , KPTV reported . According to the television station , Rama 's solo paintings have made over $ 100,000 . Rama 's work with O'Neill can be seen at the website forThe Rama Exhibition . O'Neill told KPTV 'There 's no elephant on Earth that has ever done or ever will do such magnificent abstracts . ' Debate : Elephant activist Courtney Scott ( left ) has claimed Oregon Zoo officials should not have placed Rama with female elephants at a young age . Elephant curator Bob Lee ( right ) has said zoo officials 'made the best decision they could at the time '
Rama the elephant , who completed paintings with his trunk , died Monday , ZooOregon Zoo officials announced on Facebook . Oregon Zoo officials said Rama 's leg was hurt in 1990 , when older female elephants shoved him out of the herd and he went into a moat . They said Rama was euthanized after health problems from the leg injury . Elephant group Free the ZooOregon Zoo Elephants has claimed zoo officials should not have placed Rama with the females at a young age .