.JPG)
Photos from Vincent Manero
.JPG)
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Elephant controversy from both sides--Normally the best way to make a learned decision
Above is an elephant born in 1982 making him 26 years old. Below is Roman born in 1983 making him 25 years old.
This is the you tube which decided that Roman was indeed BIG BOY the Million Dollar Elephant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZp3gE4OkZs
This is another you tube of BIG BOY THE MILLION DOLLAR ELEPHANT. He became The Million Dollar Elephant because that is what it is rumored for years that Ringling Bros. paid for Tommy or King Tusk. I wonder if David Blasko who owned Roman could confirm that amount, or is that some more Circus "tongue in cheek?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6dgt8noGhM
Now let's look at this statement, and look at what we learned: "That is the beauty of Buckles blog, with a few opinions we always get to the facts."
The title of the tape is CIRCO CHINO DE PEKIN.
I gather this is a Chinese Circus.
The elephant is rather raw boned in build which makes him perfect for those power tricks which are usually lost as they grow up and gain weight.
The prop guy looks looks Spanish and learned how to roll a tub from Gunther.
-
Buckles,
Again deferring to your expertize, I would have guessed him at 16-20. How raw boned should you keep them for power tricks, before it does physical damage in the future as they mature and gain weight? Or doesn't it have any bearing?
Wade Burck
On second viewing "Big Boy" looks more the age Wade Burck suggests.
Buckles
Now we learned that in addition to being raw boned, he is between 16 and 20, but no answer to how raw boned should you keep them for power tricks, before it does physical damage in the future as they mature and gain weight? Or doesn't it have any bearing?" And this "who also went South" is something you don't even want to touch or ask about.
Jim Z said...
In '94 I delivered Blasko's Male Roman to Mexico (He thought it was goin to a Zoo, which it did, Fuentes Zoo)
Now we learned that Roman who became THE MILLION DOLLAR ELEPHANT when he was 10, was thought to have been sold to a zoo, by the man who sold him instead of to Circus Fuentes.
Let review what we have learned so far with only a few opinions. THE MILLION DOLLAR ELEPHANT is actually Roman who was sold to, they thought a zoo in 1994 and although he looks like he is between 16-20 years old he is actually 25. His "a bit on the lean side" physic, is actually "rather raw boned in build which makes him perfect for those power tricks which are usually lost as they grow up and gain weight. "What we didn't learn was "How raw boned should you keep them for power tricks, before it does physical damage in the future as they mature and gain weight? Or doesn't it have any bearing?"
"Remember an elephant that looks between 16-20 is actually 25 and was on his way to a zoo when he was ten. His name was Roman, and he is raw boned and not lean. Is there anything else we learned, or have I missed something?
Oh yes, as you go backwards the controversy at the Dallas zoo involves sending an elephant to a zoo in Mexico
The young man working THE MILLION DOLLAR ELEPHANT was in Monte Carlo last year as a trapeze artist.
"This elephant is called Big Boy, belonging to the Fuentes-Gasca family. He is billed as "el elefante de los miliones de dollares". The guy in white presenting Big Boy and applauding is not less than Gino Maravilla: the very same that achieves the quadruple.' But that's alright his father bought the elephant for him, and his father owns the show. So he is more then qualified to handle a mature male elephant. That's what the extra "eye grease" was hiding. But he has a lot of help. If you look at the various you tubes of THE MILLION DOLLAR ELEPHANT you will see at least 4 different people presenting him and his act. I would like to ask the preeminent expert if he thinks that is advisable, but I am sure I will not get an answer. Watch the you tube of THE MILLION DOLLAR ELEPHANT doing what is called a "power trick", or a "hind leg walk" watch the moisture exhale out the end of his truck when he finishes. Now hold your breath for a long time, and then exhale. Why do we and animals normally hold our breath?
What we didn't learn was "How raw boned should you keep them for power tricks, before it does physical damage in the future as they mature and gain weight? Or doesn't it have any bearing?"
Elephant controversy from both sides--Normally the best way to make a learned decision
Zoos, activists debate elephant living space--USA Today 8/25/2007
SEATTLE — On a sunny summer day, Chai the elephant browses on grass and branches in the one-acre elephant exhibit at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo. Children lean over the metal barriers, trying to reach the charismatic creature.
In the nearby elephant barn, Watoto stretches her trunk to a net filled with vegetation and munches on her lunch before wandering back to the outdoor exhibit. Teenagers watch her, mimicking the movements of her trunk.
Zoos showcase such scenes as evidence of the healthy and happy experience of their elephants. Animals rights groups dismiss such enclosures as woefully small and harmful to the health of creatures they say are meant to roam vast wildernesses.
Across the country, some zoos are bowing to pressure from animal rights groups and shipping their elephants to sanctuaries, while others build larger enclosures to ward off criticism about the animals' living conditions.
Since 2000 some zoos, including Chicago, Detroit and San Francisco, have given up elephants entirely, conceding the animals need too much space and money to maintain. Other zoos are following suit, with no plans to replace aging animals after they die.
In Alaska, publicity about Maggie, the lone elephant at Anchorage's zoo, prompted the board to agree earlier this year to send her south. Seven zoos in warmer climates are vying for the 25-year-old elephant.
Officials at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, took a different tack. They are planning a new elephant space for 2009 that will give Stephanie and Cynda, their female African elephants, and up to five new elephants 3.6 acres to roam. At California's Oakland Zoo, four African elephants wander more than five acres of habitat, the result of a $100,000 expansion. And the Los Angeles Zoo poured $39 million into a new six-acre habitat.
Such changes don't satisfy some animal rights activists, who argue elephants belong in the wild or in much bigger sanctuaries.
"The zoos are knowingly acting irresponsibly in keeping the elephants on surfaces and spaces totally inadequate for them because they don't want to lose their biggest attractions," said veterinarian Elliot M. Katz, president of In Defense of Animals.
Zookeepers see the criticism from animal rights groups as a thinly veiled campaign to eventually close zoos entirely by attacking their most popular and iconic attractions.
"The people who really care about animals are in zoos," said Bruce Bohmke, deputy director of Woodland Park Zoo. "And we are constantly challenged to find a way to make zoos better."
So, how much space do elephants need?
Most zoo directors maintain it's not the size of the exhibit but the quality of care and the use of space that matters. Some zoo officials use Woodland Park Zoo as a positive example because they say its layout maximizes an acre of land for three elephants.
"We still get visitors who can't find the elephants," Bohmke said. "It's a very long acre."
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums requires at least 400 square feet of indoor space and 1,800 square feet, about the size of six parking spaces, to house an elephant.
"We felt and we continue to feel that space is very arbitrary," Mike Keele, deputy director of the Oregon Zoo and chair of the association's elephant advisory group. "What is really important is the animal's condition and if they are behaving normally."
Animal rights activists argue the creatures need far more space. The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee has 2,700 acres for 23 elephants and the Performing Animal Welfare Society's California sanctuary has 75 acres for eight elephants. There are about 43,560 square feet in an acre.
Elephants in the wild can travel dozens of miles in a day, but zoos cite studies showing that they don't need to roam as much if they have enough food, water and companionship.
"In the wild they are trying to find food, they're foraging. You do get the trade-off in zoos of not needing to forage, so then do they really need that much space?" said Ted Friend, an animal science professor at Texas A&M University who focuses on determining optimum living environments for animals.
Many animal rights organizations argue minimal exercise and hard concrete floors cause arthritis and gruesome foot problems. In Defense of Animals conducted a study of member medical records for the Association of Zoos and Aquarium and found more than 60% of elephants in zoos suffer from foot problems.
Zoo officials contend those problems are the lingering results of zoo practices from decades ago.
"Fifty years ago we didn't know what concrete surfaces would do to an elephant's feet," Bohmke said. "It's a constant learning process."
Elephant controversy from both sides--Normally the best way to make a learned decision
Dallas zoo keepers Gavin Eastep, right, feeds treats to Jenny, an African elephant as zoo keeper Reanna Streater cools her with a spray of water,Tuesday, July 29, 2008. Zoo officials plan to send Jenny to a drive-through park in Mexico that they say would be a perfect place for her to live. But a Dallas city councilwoman and several animal activists say that would be a horrible home for Jenny because she gets frightened by cars and deserves a more peaceful existence. DALLAS (AP) — Jenny the elephant lazily poked her trunk into a bucket of fruit as her keepers at the Dallas Zoo hosed her during her morning bath, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she could soon be shipped far from her home of 22 years. She's also certainly unaware of the debate her possible departure has stirred. Zoo officials plan to send Jenny, who became the zoo's lone elephant when her companion died in May, to a drive-through wildlife park in Mexico because African elephants become unhappy when left alone. Activists call the idea terrible and say Jenny is a nervous 9,000-pounder who fears cars and would be miserable there. "It would be inherently cruel to move her to Mexico," said Margaret Morin, who leads a group called Concerned Citizens for Jenny. "We've grown up with Jenny. She's our family. She deserves better than getting sent to a drive-through tourist attraction in Mexico." The group and dozens of other activists gathered in front of the zoo last weekend to protest the possible move, which City Councilwoman Angela Hunt criticized this week in a commentary in The Dallas Morning News. They want Jenny to go to a much larger park in Tennessee. Hunt said she's concerned because the Mexican facility is not subject to annual inspections and regulations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and because elephants in Mexico are not protected by the U.S. Animal Welfare Act. "Jenny's situation is of great concern to many people I represent," Hunt told The Associated Press. "This is not an indictment of the zoo in Mexico, but Jenny deserves to be somewhere she will be happy." Officials at the Dallas Zoo, the Africam Safari Park near Puebla, Mexico, and even celebrity zookeeper Jack Hanna all say Africam is a top-notch facility where 32-year-old Jenny would be well cared for. The Dallas Zoo would retain ownership of her. "We know she is a nervous elephant, and with protected contact, she can approach people if she wants to and we can monitor her stress levels easily without anyone getting hurt or killed," Africam owner Amy Camacho said. Camacho said Jenny and her future companion, a female named Shanty, would share about five acres in a new African elephant exhibit at the park 80 miles southeast of Mexico City. Camacho said Africam would be a good place for Jenny because she is older and is used to being in captivity. On Tuesday, Hanna, the director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and a frequent guest on nationally televised talk shows, released a statement supporting the Dallas Zoo's plans. "These animals need our help to protect their natural habitat, as well as facilitate conservation programs throughout the country that are helping new generations of wildlife stewards and conservationists," the statement said. Hunt and the other activists think Jenny would be much better off at the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tenn. The 2,700-acre facility, the nation's largest natural-habitat refuge, is home to 17 elephants and is known as a haven for troubled ones. Jenny would share a 300-acre enclosure with three other African elephants. Her Dallas home is about one-sixth of an acre. While the Elephant Sanctuary is not a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, it is approved by the Agriculture Department. Carol Buckley, who co-founded the haven in 1995, said the refuge would accept Jenny, but it is not supporting the activists trying to persuade Dallas Zoo officials to change their minds. Zoo director Gregg Hudson visited the Mexico facility on Tuesday. Africam, founded in 1972, is considered one of the top zoos in Latin America and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Dallas Zoo spokeswoman Susan Eckert said officials plan to continue inspecting Africam to ensure it is the right fit for Jenny. They would consider bringing her back once the zoo's own habitat for African animals is built in about three years, Eckert said, but officials are not yet sure whether she would return. They would monitor her behavior at Africam to determine whether she would be happier in Dallas. For now, though, Jenny continues to frolic in the Texas heat until a final decision is made this fall. Zoo officials say they will continue preparing to send her to Africam, though they will reconsider if they encounter a major problem with the facility. "Whenever you deal with children or animals, you have to consider a lot of options," Eckert said. "We're still trying to go through our plans, and we usually have time to consider our options, but with all the furor that we've had to go through, we've had to be a little more outspoken about our choices." Plans to send elephant to Mexico stirs debate
Elephant controversy from both sides--Normally the best way to make a learned decisionAfricam
Africam Safari, Pueblo Mexico Elephants above http://www.africamsafari.com.mx/
Elephant Sanctuary, Hohenwald, Tenn. Debbie below who I am partial to, and Winkie above www.elephants.com
Elephant controversy from both sides--Normally the best way to make a learned decision
Africam Safari
We i
nvite you to the fascinating animal kingdom this zoo offers. Located 17 kms. from Puebla by the road to Valsequillo. Founded in 1972, Africam Safari has around 3000 animals of 250 species.
These animals live in complete liberty in a habitat that encourages development and reproduction. The park is divided into four sections: African, American International and a "tiger heaven" along with a children's zoo. It has a picnic section and a marina with rental of boats to enjoy Valsequillo lake where you can enjoy taking pictures, a souvenirs shop and a camel ride. In the children's zoo there are pony rides and a restaurant.
The African section is the largest one, it is divided into 3 areas known as Botswana, Uganda and Kenya. At the end of this last one you will find a marina called Mombasa. You get to this section once you go through the main entrance and listen to the greeting of a native which in Swahili tongue pronounces "Jambo wana" 
which means "hello white man." It is difficult to describe in a few words all you can see and enjoy in this zoo, it has giraffes, gazelles, zebras, ostriches, nandus, a great variety of felines, bears and elephants as well as beautiful exotic birds.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
Buckles,
I will defer to your expertize, but do you think he is a bit on the lean side? The "eye grease" appears to be disguising other "drainage".
Wade Burck