Hip hop Grandma

There are 2 older Asian Elephants at Taronga Western Plains Zoo. The exhibits stretch across 3 large paddocks which have swimming pools, mud... more

by Miroslava Jurcik

Title

Hip hop Grandma

Artist

Miroslava Jurcik

Medium

Photograph

Description

There are 2 older Asian Elephants at Taronga Western Plains Zoo. The exhibits stretch across 3 large paddocks which have swimming pools, mud wallows, shade shelters and dirt mounds for them to use at their leisure, also a night barn with heating for the winter and large sand yards, which is where some of the Elephants choose to sleep when its hot.
Elephants can roll around and cover themselves in dirt and mud and to encourage more natural behaviours such as foraging, keepers will place food in different places for them to search for their meal. All of the three Elephants (incl. the AFrican elephant) at Dubbo Zoo are considered to be in their twilight years and under special care incl.Glucosamine for degenerative joint diseases.
The Elephants have also learned to be weighed, present their feet, present their ears to allow blood samples to be taken and to open their mouths for regular health and dental checks to detect early illness.
Dubbo Zoo is expanding its elephant facility to make way for three male elephants from Taronga Zoo Sydney by building new 3 stall barns and 2 new paddocks totalling over 7500sq/m.

Uploaded

October 2nd, 2014