Thursday, November 1, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Friday, March 2, 2007
Elephants never forget
Incredible story about an elephant's memory
UPI July 13, 2006
Jason Freeman was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from college. While he was walking through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed so the man approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot. There was a large thorn deeply embedded in the bottom of the foot. As carefully and as gently as he could he worked the thorn out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the man and with a rather stern look on its face, stared at him. For a good ten minutes the man stood frozen -- thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned and walked away. The man never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.
Twenty years later the man was walking through the zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to where they were standing at the rail. The large bull elephant stared at him and lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times, all the while staring at the man. The man couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant.
After a while it trumpeted loudly; then it continued to stare at him. The man summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. Suddenly the elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of the man's legs and swung him wildly back and forth along the railing, killing him.
Probably wasn't the same elephant.
UPI July 13, 2006
Jason Freeman was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from college. While he was walking through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed so the man approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot. There was a large thorn deeply embedded in the bottom of the foot. As carefully and as gently as he could he worked the thorn out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the man and with a rather stern look on its face, stared at him. For a good ten minutes the man stood frozen -- thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned and walked away. The man never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.
Twenty years later the man was walking through the zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to where they were standing at the rail. The large bull elephant stared at him and lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times, all the while staring at the man. The man couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant.
After a while it trumpeted loudly; then it continued to stare at him. The man summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. Suddenly the elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of the man's legs and swung him wildly back and forth along the railing, killing him.
Probably wasn't the same elephant.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Monday, January 22, 2007
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Progress report
We learned that the Girls' former caregiver, identified as a woman named "Debbie," had issued an appeal for the return of the Girls.
We were unmoved.
Yesterday we sent a message to Debbie letting her know that the Girls are doing much better in our care, but that we are running out of peanuts. We attached the following photo to prove that the Girls are in our possession:
We received the reply below.
Dear Misguided Elephant Thief:
You have no idea the damage that you are causing to these fragile beings. If you look closely at the picture you have so callously forwarded you will see a tear rolling down the cheek of the middle elephant. Is this distress from being face to face with Rosie DiManno and her lot? No, no, my dear M.E.T. this is because they miss their loving caregiver and extended fam. I would like to turn your attention to Rosie DiManno free article from Oct. 8/06 in The New York Times 'An Elephant Crackup?'. This article refers to the stress that Elephants are under due to actions such as your own, and the psychosocial damage that results. SHAME, SHAME ON YOU dear M.E.T. DO THE RIGHT THING! Bring the girls home.
P.S. if you think that running out of peanuts is your biggest challenge wait till they do their 'business' on that newspaper.
Respectfully,
The Girls Rightful Caregiver
Hmm. We realized that this would require a lot of newspaper. After a great deal of thought, we decided to give Debbie a second chance. After all, we learned that her 50th birthday is fast approaching; we have heard that such a milestone can addle a person's mind temporarily. We posted signs in our window informing her of our decision.
Debbie complied. Although it was difficult for us to part with the Girls, we must admit that we were comforted by the fact that Debbie arrived at our headquarters surrounded by people who vowed to support her in her care of the Girls.
From our vantage point across the driveway, we will continue to monitor the Girls' welfare. In the meantime, enjoy the photo array below, which captures the Girls' reunion with Debbie and her support network.
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