SINGAPORE - A cow that lived in Coney Island Park has died, said the National Parks Board (NParks) on Wednesday (Oct 12).

NParks said it was "saddened to share that the free-roaming Brahman cow on Coney Island Park has passed away".

The cow could not be revived after it was sedated for blood and faecal samples to be taken during its annual health check by veterinarians on Sept 28.

"Health checks are necessary for the cow's own well-being and for public health reasons, for example, to prevent the spread of diseases between animals and humans," NParks said.

"Given its large size, sedating the cow was a standard procedure to ensure the safety of all personnel involved."

Post-mortem investigations by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority showed that the cow had chronic underlying illnesses.

It likely died of heart and lung complications while sedated, said NParks.

"The cow was a recognisable part of Coney Island Park and will be missed," it added.

The bull was a breed of Zebu cattle that originates from South Asia. No one knows how it got on Coney Island, but it is believed to have roamed there for many years.

When it was found, it was malnourished and sick, but was nursed back to health. It foraged naturally on the vegetation on the island.

The Straits Times understands that the body of the cow was incinerated.