Australia: Zoo slammed for elephant's 'under-age pregancy'

Times of London ^ | 02/14/08 | Philippe Naughton

[TigerLikesRooster]

February 14, 2008

Zoo slammed for elephant's 'under-age pregancy'

Philippe Naughton

Sydney's Taronga Zoo has been reprimanded by animal rights activists for letting an Asian elephant fall pregnant even though she is only nine years old.

The zoo, famed for its views over Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, proudly announced today that Thong Dee was five months into a 22-month pregnancy and should become the first captive elephant in Australia to give birth. It even released ultrasound images to confirm what it called an "historic event".

But Erica Martin, who heads the Asia Pacific office of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said that allowing such a young elephant to get pregnant was the equivalent of allowing your 12-year-old daughter to become pregnant”.

“It is completely irresponsible,” she said.

The ultrasound images identify a 10cm foetus with the beginnings of a spine, front and hind legs, although it is too early to determine whether it is male or female.

Thong Dee was a part of a group of eight Asian elephants imported from Thailand in November 2006.

Animal rights groups said today that there was little conservation benefit in Thong Dee’s pregnancy and that the young elephant faced health risks.

“We know that calves born in zoos have double the mortality rate in the wild, and this pregnancy will put both mother and calf at great risk,” said Bidda Jones, chief scientist of the Australian RSPCA. “Stillbirth, infanticide and rejection of calves are the main causes of infant mortality and Thong Dee’s age and lack of maternal and social experience make this pregnancy very risky."

The zoo says that its four female Asian elephants have all been assessed by reproductive specialists as eligible for breeding and points out that the early Asian Elephant pregnancy in a European zoo was five and a half years.

Mr Cooper said: “The well-being of all animals in our care is of paramount importance and our breeding programmes are carefully managed to exacting standards that ensure our specialist staff employ the latest advice and scientific research."

Asian elephants are smaller than their African cousins and are listed as endangered. They live for about 80 years in the wild and about 60 in captivity.

[CougarGA7]

guilty

[squidly]

Does this mean that if she was in the wild, no male elephant would have knocked her up?

[VRWCmember]

But Erica Martin, who heads the Asia Pacific office of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said that allowing such a young elephant to get pregnant was the equivalent of allowing your 12-year-old daughter to become pregnant”.

“It is completely irresponsible,” she said.

So is Erica advocating a pachyderm abortion?

[Ezekiel]

Sydney's Taronga Zoo has been reprimanded by animal rights activists for letting an Asian elephant fall pregnant even though she is only nine years old.

Mohammed the papa?

[org.whodat]

animal rights activists

Wacko's incorporated

[Young Werther]

They should Condom the prevert!!!!!

[dennisw]

Who the baby daddy? The alpha male elephant?

[Tai_Chung]

Is she advocating abstinence or safe sex?

[TigerLikesRooster]

drug-dealing gansta elephant.

It was also a date rape. /sarc

[Amos the Prophet]

Elephant condoms, a truly stupendous concept.

[Chickensoup]

fall pregnant

I love that low class Britishism “ fall pregnant “ like it is something that just happens...out of the blue.

“I was prancing down the street and all of a sudden I found that I fell pregnant.”

[Morgana]

OKAY OKAY! WHICH ONE OF THE ZOO KEEPERS GOT HER PREGNANT!?!?!?!

[Adammon]

Elephant condoms, a truly stupendous concept.

Why's that? I have to use that size already :D :D :D

[JillValentine]

Twenty years ago, this would have been satire.

Also, according to an animal facts page on Asian elephants, they live on average 60 years in the wild and 80 in captivity. The article has the numbers mixed up. I wonder if that was a mistake or a deliberate ploy by the leftie paper to make zoos look bad.

[Morgana]

Let me see....the elephant is hunted to being extinct in Africa because of ivory tusks, and they are complaining because one is PREGNANT??? I would think they would be celebrating!!

[Oztrich Boy]

But Erica Martin, who heads the Asia Pacific office of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said that allowing such a young elephant to get pregnant was the equivalent of allowing your 12-year-old daughter to become pregnant”.

Well that was the age decided by Mother Nature . Isn't demanding elephants following cultural norms set by human society a little specieist?

[mountainlyons]

I don’t remember any elephants at the Sydney Zoo all I remember is a loud Lion. That was 40 years ago next month on R&R though.

[Waco]

Ya can’t make this s-it up. Can ya, huh???

[Young Werther]

Are you calling me stupen????

[Morgana]

The average female elephant's pregnancy last for 22 months! Call me when she is ready to deliver and I will give her a baby shower! She deserves it!!

[Tax-chick]

This is an Asian elephant, not an African one. Asian elephants have smaller ears than African elephants, and can be semi-domesticated.

[Gabz]

Also, according to an animal facts page on Asian elephants, they live on average 60 years in the wild and 80 in captivity. The article has the numbers mixed up. I wonder if that was a mistake or a deliberate ploy by the leftie paper to make zoos look bad.

Thank you........I was wondering about that, considering the animals are considered endangered, one would think they lived longer in captivity.

[Billthedrill]

Look, I’m sorry. It was late at night and the bar was dark and she swore to me she was ten...

[redhead]

Erica Martin and all you doogooding weenie-whining anthropomorphizing crybabies: Just shut up. Shut your piehole. Do the world a favor, and go hug a wombat or something, but just SHUT YOUR MOUTH! Nobody is listening to you. We all have our fingers in our ears, and we are all singing, “Lalalalalalalalalalalalala!!” So shut up and go away. The elephant got pregnant because that’s what elephants do. Get over yourself.

[Kirkwood]

Even if they made elephant condoms, who would they get to put one on the elephant?

[Morgana]

Some Asian Elephants are being hunted too. In India it is a problem.

[politicalwit]

and can be semi-domesticated

...unlike the human female. :^)

[colorado tanker]

Well, I have to agree with the animal rights fruitcakes here. We’re in the 21st Century and I think a cow elephant should postpone marriage and childbearing until after college.

[Tax-chick]

True, although I think habitat destruction is the bigger issue for Asian elephants.

[Morgana]

The elephant got pregnant because that’s what elephants do. Get over yourself. YOU SAID IT!!!

[squidly]

Even if they made elephant condoms, who would they get to put one on the elephant?

[Young Werther]

Who else! SABU, of course.

"Up Simba!"

[Morgana]

True, although I think habitat destruction is the bigger issue for Asian elephants. ---------------------------------------------------------- Which is all the more reason we should be glad she is pregnant!

[Ezekiel]

I’ve noticed that. It’s like they trip down the stairs and whoops! British girls sure are clumsy.

[JillValentine]

My guess would be the one named “Bubba.”

[Tennessee Nana]

an Asian elephant fall pregnant
__________________________________________

It’s definitely in the water...

[Chickensoup]

Well, I have to agree with the animal rights fruitcakes here. We’re in the 21st Century and I think a cow elephant should postpone marriage and childbearing until after college.

But it is unnatural to think that she will be a virgin until graduation. So time for safer sex and of course the abortion mill. Wont do ANYTHING to your fertility later dearie.

[Chickensoup]

I found my next job!

[Dilbert San Diego]

well.....those zookeepers left a young girl elephant to be molested. That bull elephant is a child molester.

[colorado tanker]

But it is unnatural to think that she will be a virgin until graduation. So time for safer sex and of course the abortion mill. Wont do ANYTHING to your fertility later dearie.

I just got an awful image of our lovely lass out on a "date" with a bull elephant and some animal rights nut trying to put a condom on the bull elephant.

[Chickensoup]

some animal rights nut trying to put a condom on the bull elephant.

Brings a smile to MY lips!

[Beowulf9]

Her name was ‘Thong’ Dee. Get it? Slut elephant.

[Tax-chick]

I agree. Although stillbirth is still a risk - as it is in any birth, of any species - surely the zoo can keep her or the other elephants from killing the baby, or can hand-rear it if the mother neglects it.

[IMissPresidentReagan]

Ahhh teenage elephant pregnancy...stop the insanity...wait, strike that, stop the inanity.

[muir_redwoods]

"Australia: Zoo slammed for elephant's 'under-age pregancy'(sic)"

"Lord knows we've tried mate but the damned bulls just won't use the condoms"

[Hot Tabasco]

“It is completely irresponsible,” she said.

So much for "safe sex education".......Abstinance works every time.

[Morgana]

agree. Although stillbirth is still a risk

It would be the same if she was in the wild! She would care for it if she was in the wild....it is called Mother instincts.

[C210N]

You know, elephants can be quite kinky. Here is Horton incubating an egg:

[Tax-chick]

She would care for it if she was in the wild....it is called Mother instincts.

Maybe, maybe not. Some mother animals in the wild reject their young, for reasons that are unclear. Maybe they can suffer from post-partum psychosis, as some human mothers do.