Baylor Wakes Tupelo

The first time Tupelo went into the exhibit yard to meet the rest of the herd was an exciting time for the Elephant care team and elephants alike. The sound of trumpets, rumbles, and chirps from the elephants could be heard throughout the zoo. All of the elephant quickly ran over to Tess, Tupelo, and Tucker to meet and greet the newest addition to their herd. Naturally, Tupelo seemed overwhelmed at times and stayed very close to mom. Baylor also was a bit unsure and did not approach too closely too soon. Once Tupelo went down to take her first nap in the yard, Baylor knew it would safe to approach. Baylor walked up to Tupelo, smelled her a bit, then gently nudged her with his foot until she awoke, and then he ran back to his mom. This happened a few times until Baylor built up the courage to investigate Tupelo while she was awake. Tupelo is still too young to actively play with Baylor, but they spend some time hanging out with each and at times sleeping together. Once Tupelo gets a little older, the young bulls in the herd better watch out, she will most definitely be a handful for them.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• elephant
• herd
• tupelo
• baylor
• houston
• zoo

[thegh0ST505]

Baylor is such a sweet little boy. Had seen quite some vids of him frm his birth to growing up day by day and now displaying little big brother like to younger little elephants. Good boy little Baylor. Sweet little big baby.

[Kaleiphant]

I just lose it when I see Tupelo's little foot go up as she gets up. And Baylor's little trunk poking at her. So cute.

[spindlegold]

This is quite possibly the sweetest thing I've ever seen.

[ChuchaMorocco]

Sooo sweeeeeeet! :) Cuteness overload!!!!!!

[longshanksno1bap]

makes my day to watch this

[blastmasterism]

Places like the Houston Zoo are actually helping, like it or not, by providing Asian elephants a safe (look up what land mines in Thailand do to elephants) enriched environment where they are not hunted for raiding crops, where they aren't pressed into service as construction equipment or forced to perform for tourists. In the long view, preserving a wide pool of genetically diverse Asian elephants in well maintained zoos is, unfortunately, the key to this species' survival.

[blastmasterism]

@veggiewarriors 'm sure you are aware that there are already numerous elephant sanctuaries in Asia (specifically Thailand, where this particular species are most numerous) and the issue is not lack of funds but lack of land. No amount of money, and certainly not just $100M will solve the issue of too many people depending upon a limited and finite resource to grow crops rather than giving it up for the long lost cause of elephants living outside of constrained environments.

[veggiewarriors]

@blastmasterism

It was a generic comment. I'm sorry you chose not to get it.

Let me rephrase that: 100 MILLION DOLLARS (which is the equivalent of the GDP of many Asian countries put together) could have been donated to a protected reserve in Asia to help Asian elephants and lift the poorest people who depend on them out of poverty.

Hope that clears things up.

[blastmasterism]

@veggiewarriors These are Asian Elephants. They don't exist in Africa, except in zoos.

[veggiewarriors]

Very sad. Elephants don't belong in captivity.

Houston zoo's hundred million dollar expansion could have been donated to a protected game reserve in Africa instead.