Posted on 02/14/2008 3:02:37 PM PST by 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.
This is an Asian elephant, not an African one. Asian elephants have smaller ears than African elephants, and can be semi-domesticated.
Thank you........I was wondering about that, considering the animals are considered endangered, one would think they lived longer in captivity.
Look, I’m sorry. It was late at night and the bar was dark and she swore to me she was ten...
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.
Even if they made elephant condoms, who would they get to put one on the elephant?
...unlike the human female. :^)
True, although I think habitat destruction is the bigger issue for Asian elephants.
"Up Simba!"
I’ve noticed that. It’s like they trip down the stairs and whoops! British girls sure are clumsy.
My guess would be the one named “Bubba.”
an Asian elephant fall pregnant
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It’s definitely in the water...
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.
I found my next job!
well.....those zookeepers left a young girl elephant to be molested. That bull elephant is a child molester.
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