The elephant above with sunken temples is 41. The elephant below with no sunken temples is 41. The one above died in 2009,....... began to lose weight. Tests were done; all came up negative. No answer could be found for ...........'s low weight. Over the next twelve years ........... struggled with this weight-loss condition. The elephant below who is TB positive is still going strong.
On another blog I have been told that sunken temples are not necessarily an indication of age.
Have you ever seen a young [or youngish] elephant with sunken temples?
The only time I have seen younger elephants with sunken temples were sick and emaciated
Monday, February 28, 2011
For Steve and Radar--Sunken temples
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
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7 comments:
Proves Radar's point. Testing positive to TB does not necessarily mean sick.
Steve,
What do you mean Radars right? No body ever said TB kills, unless they were uninformed or an animal rights zealot. But if an animal looks like Liz with sunken temples stands by an animal like Misty and they both have TB, and the one with sunken temples dies that is many peoples assumption. It there a conformational "type" due to it's genetics that has a predisposition to be affected differently as aids affects people differently? Is there a defective gene lurking somewhere that is unknown as yet? Could stress to some trigger it? If Radar is saying that sunken temple indicate poor health then I think that is wrong, if the temples with the other things mentioned is apparent then he is correct, but not temples alone.
Wade
Comparing Liz and Misty, that is a reasonable assumption for people to come to. What I'm trying to find out is if that assumption is correct. You say no it isn't. As you have had more experience than the other posters on this subject so far and as you have taken the trouble to research the subject, I will go with your opinion until something turns up to disprove it.
Certainly my guess [and it's only a guess from my limited experience] is that genetics could play a bigger part than anyone has far believed. Glenn's description of Teduh supports that theory.
PS: Lot's of people say that TB kills. Sure, they may be uninformed but they are not all AR loons. They get a real good run in the media too.
Steve,
This is not Liz in this picture. As Liz was 45, I assumed if I had compared her to 41 year old Misty, the assumption would have been, "well Liz is older". This 41 year old elephant is actually Barbara whom TES claims came to them from a circus due to "wasting disease." It is described by the sanctuary the same way Lance Ramos's vet described what he thought was wrong with Ned, and the Sanctuary scoffed at him:
Barbara was from Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia. She was quite thin due to a wasting disease that plagued her almost her entire life. It was difficult for Barbara to utilize her nutrients and maintain body fat.
Wade
The necropsy confirmed that Ned was seriously ill for a long time (ulcers in the small bowl) which means it was not Lance Ramos fault that he couldn?t gain weight. However, what he did - making a terminally ill and emaciated elephant perform and giving rides - was abuse. Ned was in no condition to travel.
Nicci
Nicci,
Welcome. This must be ESP because I have a thread timed to post in about an hour and a half EST addressing the very issue, along with Steve's thoughts earlier about "it makes good press." Stick around or comeback, as you may be able to offer insight and an "expert comment."
Wade
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