When Kiba the elephant died, the rest of her herd mourned — human and elephant alike.
The Nashville Zoo was forced to euthanize the 26-year-old African elephant on Thursday. Kiba suffered from a degenerative joint injury that was crippling her with pain.
Afterward, her human caretakers said their goodbyes, then opened the doors to the rest of her herd, 25-year-old Sukari and 27-year-old Hadari.
"It was pretty beautiful," said Connie Philipp, the zoo's director of animal collections, reduced to tears by the memory. "Sukari went over to touch and feel her. She was very slow and gentle. She stood over her, to protect her, and she stood guard for some time, occasionally touching her with her trunk."For 14 years, Kiba has been a fixture at the
Chuck and Risé Pankow rescued her from the sideshows and brought her to the zoo in 1995, where they continued as her caretakers for the rest of her life. They remember her as a gentle, friendly creature.
Knowing the end was near, zoo staff lavished Kiba with treats in her final days, including her favorites — sweet melons and doughnuts.
"I'm happy she got to be with us and I'm happy we got to be with her," said Philipp, who is making plans to bring a new elephant to the zoo to restore balance to Kiba's small herd.
She'll be buried on the zoo grounds with her favorite toys — including the shovel and rake she loved to filch from her caretakers. Her headstone will be a boulder that Philipp picked out for her, one that is "as big and strong and beautiful" as Kiba was.
Donations in Kiba's name can be made to the International Elephant Foundation, www.elephantconservation.org.Courtesy of Hoards of Coyote's Boy
"This is the diciest, cheeziest story I have read in a long time. Pure PR nonsense. Note the emphasizing that it was someone elese's fault(smaller attractions/sideshow) and the other animals mourned the loss, all the way up to burying her with her favorite toys, plus a shovel and rake she "filched" because she was apparently ill mannered. Throw in a headstone, big and strong and beautiful and you have the effectivly redirected any responsibily in every direction buy your own. Kudo's Nashville on the feel good marketing clinic of the year!!!!!!!!"
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4 comments:
Anonymous,
Listen Asshole!!!! The quote's around the statement at the bottom of the thread, mean they are my words, not Coyote boy's. Next time say Coyote boy with a more respectful tone, as he is much more intelligent, and caring of animals then you can ever hope to be. As for me, you are not even on my planet, when it comes to animal understanding.
Wade Burck(Coyote Boy's pal)
Did I miss something?
Yes, lots of anthropomorphic stuff about an elephant that probably was a pain in the ass. BUT they didn't say this was proof they shouldn't keep elephants and that they should all go to a sanctuary. They're continuing their program, looking for another elephant -- good for them.
Jim,
I agree in part, but I think all the "anthropomorphic stuff" which makes good press, will actually come back to haunt them, when they look for another elephant. I also think folks shoot themselves in the foot each time they make those kinds of statements. The more there is a misconception, and the more the misconception is validated and endorsed, the harder it will become to justify captivity for a truly valid reason.
Wade
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