Philadelphia Zoo Last Two Days Before Elephants Were Moved

[BornInAWorldToHelp]

I know that they probably had it better than other zoo elephants. There was something special about Petal and Dulary. But if we lived like them, sometimes I think it would be like us living in our backyards the size of a living room, with a few snacks hidden around and maybe a couple balls. But I do know they truly were loved.

[ZooVisitorMM]

@BornInAWorldToHelp Thanks for your thoughtful comments. I understand what you say, and I think if had been in charge, I would have found a way to take the elephants on daily walks around the Zoo, as some other zoos do. And I would have added a small mound or a curved bridge to their exhibit for them to walk up and over for additional exercise. The care they received at the Zoo was so wonderful - all it would have taken were just a few things like that to make their environment perfect.

[BornInAWorldToHelp]

I do know that the elephants were deeply loved and cared for, but in my heart I have always felt that they needed more space and a better home. Plus, I think it's cruel to place them on exhibit like art displays. They're so much more than that.

[ZooVisitorMM]

@BornInAWorldToHelp When I stood a few feet away from the elephants, I never thought of them as being on display. It was just such a wonderful feeling to be in their presence, to hear the sounds of their ears flapping, their snorts, an occasional rumble, or even a trumpeting ... And I never got the sense that they felt like they were on display, either. They often appeared to pay attention to individual visitors, and never appeared nervous or agitated, even when the Zoo was very crowded.

[IrishMusicIsAwesome]

It's sad that the elephants are gone.

[proboscidea123]

How much does Kallie weigh?

[awesomeH2O]

I remember that there was a conflict in the summer of 2005. Bette attacked Dulary and used her tusk to cut her right eyelid. Was this attack over space, dominance, enrichment, food, or a similar situation?

[ZooVisitorMM]

@awesomeH2O It was a tussle between Kallie and Dulary. As I have mentioned before, Kallie is a bit temperamentaI and "moody", but I don't think she intended to cut Dulary's eye, that part was an accident.

Probably, it would have been better to send Bette and Kallie to another zoo rather than bring them into a situation where a peaceful, lifelong bond had been established between Dulary and Petal.

But the Zoo was trying to do the right thing and give Bette and Kallie a better life.

[awesomeH2O]

@ZooVisitorMM Oh...are you sure it was between Dulary and Kallie? I had thought that the tussle was between Bette and Dulary. Well...if it was Kallie (who could be a bit moody and temperamental), she may have been irritated or annoyed by something.

[ZooVisitorMM]

@awesomeH2O I was actually at the Zoo on the day it happened, although I didn't witness the tussle that resulted in the injury. I did notice that Dulary and Kallie kept intertwining their trunks and pushing each other. And that was something that was sort of a regular occurrence.

I will try to find someone to ask to double-check. It always pays to ask several people just to be absolutely sure. But I know one Zoo staff person told me it was told me Kallie whose tusk injured Dulary.

[awesomeH2O]

@ZooVisitorMM I wonder what it really was about. Maybe Kallie (if it really is her, which it sounds like it is now) was a bit grumpy.

[ElephantsAreSmart]

@awesomeH2O I never got that impression from her. She seemed like the cheeky African elephant who desired lots of food! She also appeared to be eager to eat...

I think she was not actually temperamental or grumpy - in fact, she seemed quiet and friendly.

[awesomeH2O]

Do you think the elephants will stay in Pittsburgh?

[ZooVisitorMM]

@awesomeH2O I have no idea. The Zoo may not have made a final decision yet, but either way, I wish the Zoo would keep everyone informed, each step of the way as it goes through the decision process.

I also wish the Zoo encouraged Zoo member participation in the decision-making process.

[awesomeH2O]

@ZooVisitorMM I agree. The Zoo should at least keep people informed, as I am sure many loved seeing Kallie and Bette.

[ElephantsAreSmart]

@awesomeH2O I believe so...but I'm not sure.

[awesomeH2O]

Kallie and Bette are beautiful. They were too old to breed for the first time, but the Zoo insisted on moving them to Pittsburgh. I wish they had moved to a better place.

[ZooVisitorMM]

@awesomeH2O I wish they had stayed at the Philadelphia Zoo. And now I wish they would be brought back to the Zoo.

[awesomeH2O]

@ZooVisitorMM True...I prefer the Zoo than an "elephant mill..." You may not agree, but I feel that the "Conservation" Center is a bit like an "elephant calf mill." Somehow, that's how I thought of it.

[DAN5675able]

zoo's are my favorite places to go i go to my local zoo all the time

[ZooVisitorMM]

That is great! I hope you will be like me, and continue to visit zoos even after you are an adult.

[soheiljerusalem]

Couldn't they have elephants in a children zoo ?! Weird .

[TomChair]

What a great shame! I know how you feel. Of course, the kids will love the children's zoo, but...

(Plus it seems to take years for zoos to put new facilities together. They have been working on the giraffe area at the National Zoo for years.)

Thanks for the video!

[ZooVisitorMM]

And often by the time the new facilites are completed, the concepts and theories that led to their design have become outdated!

I think by the time the new Children's Zoo is completed, every zoo director will have realized a zoo should be about wild animals, not about farm animals, and not about play areas, and, most important, that every big city zoo should exhibit elephants.

[TomChair]

I have to agree. You have to have elephants. I am going to miss future clips of the elephant scratching the rhino! Those were great! But you do have the old ones preserved here which is very nice.

[Thamnophissirtalis]

Is the pittsburgh zoo's conservation center in the zoo or is it somewhere else.

If it is in the zoo I will look foreward to seeing them in August.

[ZooVisitorMM]

Unfortunately, the International Conservation Center is not in the Pittsburgh Zoo. It is in Somerset County, about half way between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Unfortunately, also, it is not open to visitors.

Hopefully the Zoo will keep us all up to date with information about how Bette and Kallie are doing.

[Thamnophissirtalis]

Thats to bad its not open to visitors but it does make for better conditons for the animals.

[ZooVisitorMM]

I think many zoo animals, especially elephants, enjoy having the visitors around.

The others don't seem to notice (except when there are a lot of school children all in one area.)

[Thamnophissirtalis]

Maybe I will have to ask next time I run into an elephant.

[ZooVisitorMM]

You can see a lot of elephants if you visit the Pittsburgh Zoo (not the International Conservation Center) in August.

The Pittsburgh Zoo has an entire herd, with babies.

The Maryland Zoo has several elephants, including a baby, also.

[Thamnophissirtalis]

I visit the Pittsburgh zoo every year last year I got to see the newborn babies days after they were born.

The pittsburgh zoo is a really nice facility.

[ZooVisitorMM]

I hope you will record videos of the elephants (and other animals, too) while you are at the Pittsburgh Zoo and post them on your YouTube channel!

[Thamnophissirtalis]

I will try to make a slideshow of the animals.

[33Keith33]

You're right about many animals enjoying having visitors. After hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Audubon Zoo was closed for nearly 3 months for repairs. Keepers noticed that many of the animals seemed listless and depressed. Sensing what was missing in their lives, the zoo offered free admission to rescue workers and the animals perked up right away.

[ZooVisitorMM]

No one knows animals better, or senses what they need better, than a dedicated zoo staff.

If only more people would realize that, and also realize that zoo animals are lucky in very many ways.