Yes, elephant swaying is a distress reaction to being held captive and not having their biological and behavioral needs met. Please search “elephant stereotypy” and “the captivity industry” to learn more. The elephants will thank you.
Actually, elephants are a really large animal and it takes a lot to pump the blood through their body. Therefore, they have these spaces in their feet that act like pumps, so they do this "dance" like movement to help move the blood through their body. This is relatively new information, but we are learning new things everyday!
Yes from looking up the zoo I find that the rocking behaviour is a mental disorder of the elephant and not healthy. I wasn't aware of this when I put up the video or while I was visiting the zoo. I don't have any children but I am now educated on this matter from looking at the "Help Elephants in Zoos" website, which has a section on Topeka Zoo where this video was recorded.
The zoo had a very large outdoor environment for the elephants but when we visited they were working on it so that's why the elephants were inside. This was at Topeka Zoo in Kansas.
I don't think this elephant is dancing. I think it's a behavior called weaving which is an elephant's way of expressing distress. Watch the elephant abuse videos on this site esp. the "big top at ringling brothers" one. It explains a bit about weaving and also visit the The Elephant Sanctuary at elephants dot com for more info on elephant behaviors. Sadly, elephant weaving is a too common spectacle of captive elephants at zoos, circuses and fairs all over the world.
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MzChelxoxo 5 days ago
This must be early in the morning for all that dung. I worked at a zoo for a while, they clean the cages everyday.
ImpracticalLessons 1 week ago
Yes, elephant swaying is a distress reaction to being held captive and not having their biological and behavioral needs met. Please search “elephant stereotypy” and “the captivity industry” to learn more. The elephants will thank you.
Dele1219 5 months ago
Actually, elephants are a really large animal and it takes a lot to pump the blood through their body. Therefore, they have these spaces in their feet that act like pumps, so they do this "dance" like movement to help move the blood through their body. This is relatively new information, but we are learning new things everyday!
firehedgie 3 years ago
@firehedgie No this is generally known as "stereotypic behaviour" which is abnormal.
KoRnyGirlx 3 months ago
Yes from looking up the zoo I find that the rocking behaviour is a mental disorder of the elephant and not healthy. I wasn't aware of this when I put up the video or while I was visiting the zoo. I don't have any children but I am now educated on this matter from looking at the "Help Elephants in Zoos" website, which has a section on Topeka Zoo where this video was recorded.
codebluebelle 4 years ago
The zoo had a very large outdoor environment for the elephants but when we visited they were working on it so that's why the elephants were inside. This was at Topeka Zoo in Kansas.
codebluebelle 4 years ago
I don't think this elephant is dancing. I think it's a behavior called weaving which is an elephant's way of expressing distress. Watch the elephant abuse videos on this site esp. the "big top at ringling brothers" one. It explains a bit about weaving and also visit the The Elephant Sanctuary at elephants dot com for more info on elephant behaviors. Sadly, elephant weaving is a too common spectacle of captive elephants at zoos, circuses and fairs all over the world.
iloveram 4 years ago