I Lived in Alabama, And I Promise No One Made This Up.

http://www.bitoffun.com/video_vault/boat-launch-fun.htm

Courtesy of John Goodall

And I guarantee the process started with someone saying "Hell, my truck can pull anything out.  Get back Leroy, Randy, and Billy.  Let a man show you how to do it."  :)

For Kerry Faler--It Is Not An Easy Task For A Bull Elephant Given His "Equipment."

Image from Hildebrandt et al. (2000). Non-obvious abbreviations: amp = ampullae, bu = bulbourethral gland, pro (which looks like prc due to poor cropping in the original figure) = prostate gland, pb = pelvic bone, sv = seminal vesicle.

 Bagemihl, B. 1999. Biological Exuberance. Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity. St. Martin's Press, New York.

Hildebrandt, T. B., Hermes, R., Pratt, N. C., Fritsch, G., Blottner, S., Schmitt, D. L., Ratanakorn, P., Brown, J. L., Rietschel, W. & Göritz, F. 2000. Ultrasonography of the urogenital tract in elephants (Loxodonta africana and Elephas maximus): an important tool for assessing male reproductive function. Zoo Biology 19, 333-345.

Portas, T. J., Bryant, B. R., Göritz, F., Hermes, R., Keeley, T., Evans, G., Maxwell, W, M. C. & Hildebrant, T. B. 2007. Semen collection in an Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) under combined physical and chemical restraint. Australian Veterinary Journal 85, 425-427.

Schmitt, D. L. & Hildebrandt, T. B. 1998. Manual collection and characterization of semen from Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). Animal Reproduction Science 53, 309-314.

Shoshani, J. 2000. Anatomy and physiology. In Shoshani, J. (ed) Elephants. Checkmark Books (New York), pp. 66-81.

Toronto Zoo Elephants

Toronto City Council made an elephantine mistake last fall and the zoo is suffering the consequences. An international organization setting standards for most major North American zoos has stripped the Toronto Zoo of a prized accreditation. And it’s because councillors rejected the advice of the zoo’s expert staff last October and opted to send three elephants to an unaccredited sanctuary.
Mayor Rob Ford missed that ill-advised vote and is right to criticize councillors in this case for doing “policy on the fly.” The best place for three departing pachyderms — Toka, Thika and Iringa — should have been decided strictly through science-based evaluation. Zoo officials are in the best position to conduct such an analysis, not councillors.
That didn’t stop council from rejecting a professional recommendation that the elephants go to a facility accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). There was concern it would take too long. Led by Councillor Michelle Berardinetti, council opted to give the elephants to the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in San Andreas, Calif. They’re likely to go in about a month.
PAWS is endorsed by retired game show host Bob Barker, who has made a pet project of securing Toronto’s elephants. One can’t help but wonder if he and his persistent “Come on down!” blandishments were the deciding factor in council’s decision.
Now the zoo has lost an accreditation it had since 1977. Berardinetti has condemned the AZA for attempting to tell Toronto “what to do with our elephants.” But that’s the organization’s job. Since in its view it is unacceptable to send elephants to an unaccredited facility, the AZA’s action should come as no surprise.
The Toronto Zoo’s loss of AZA approval limits its ability to share animals with other zoos in breeding programs. Still, that won’t pose too great a problem if accreditation is restored in a fresh review about a year from now. If that’s the case, the zoo could regard the current action against it as a trip to the penalty box. But given this zoo’s attendance and fundraising challenges, the last thing it needs is another penalty — and the bad publicity that comes with it.

Again I ask the question Bob Barker, "how many children could be brought out of Palestine for $900,000,000?   How many children equal 3 elephant's, Bob?"

 http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1168061--elephants-in-training-to-enter-crates-for-coming-move

A Question For Left Wingers. So What Is Wrong With Water Boarding In the Scheme Of National Security????

 A YOUNG woman agreed to be tortured in full public view to try and end animal testing.

 Jacqueline Traide, 24, was dragged, tied prodded, force fed and subjected to all manner of cruelty in front of hundreds of shoppers, Mail Online reports.

Jaqueline endured ten hours of injections, being smothered in different lotions, having her hair shaved and irritants being squirted into her eyes as part of a world wide campaign by Lush and The Humane Society International.
The stunt took place in a Lush store window on London's Regent Street, one of the UK's busiest shopping precincts.
Passers-by were stunned by the display, with many stopping to take photos and record the gruesome spectacle with their phones.
The Humane Society says animals are routinely tested in this manner for make-up and perfumes.

'Panic-attack' elephant crushes zoo owner to death in trunk

'Not a happy life' ... Helen Schofield pictured with Mila, just hours before the elephant killed her.


A zoo owner was crushed to death in an elephant’s trunk after the animal she had spent two years nursing back to health picked her up and lifted her into the air, New Zealand animal welfare authorities say.
Helen Schofield, the owner and director of Franklin Zoo, 56 kilometres south of Auckland, was caring for 3.1-tonne Mila, formerly a circus elephant known as Jumbo, when tragedy struck.

Emergency services were called to the zoo about 4.30pm yesterday after receiving reports that Ms Schofield had been killed when Mila picked her up and crushed her.
Auckland SPCA executive director Bob Kerridge said he did not believe Mila had attacked Ms Schofield, who was also a vet.

"It would appear to be a tragic accident," he said.

Just two-and-a-half hours before her death, Ms Schofield revealed details of the elephant's troubled emotional state during a talk to a group of 50 zoo visitors - including a Fairfax reporter - while standing in front of Mila's enclosure.

The elephant was known to suffer frequent panic attacks at night and Ms Schofield, who lived on site, would comfort the animal by speaking with it through a safety wall.

The SPCA had expressed concerns about the elephant's physical and mental wellbeing before Mila went into the zoo's care.

Emotional scenes unfolded outside the zoo last night as Mila's former handler Tony Ratcliffe demanded to see the elephant.

"As soon as I see the situation, I'll know if it was a deliberate elephant attack or not," he told New Zealand media.

"Elephants choose their friends and when they attack, they attack ... I'm just gutted. A lady has lost her life, it is a tragedy."

Mr Ratcliffe told Radio New Zealand his offers of help to the zoo had been dismissed, and he was angry the elephant had not been treated well since moving to the wildlife centre.
Auckland Zoo worker Grace Honney was today assessing the elephant, which she said was fine and not sedated.

A Franklin Zoo staff member said Mila needed "a lot of support and care now".

The zoo operators are expected to make a media statement later today.

 Ms Schofield had been working with the elephant to get it into a healthy physical and psychological state so it could be sent to live in a sanctuary with other elephants, Mr Kerridge said.

She was a ‘‘passionate vet’’ and had ‘‘total control’’ of the animal.

In May 2010 Ms Schofield, who was described by zoo colleagues as ‘‘very well-loved’’, wrote of her enthusiasm for working with the elephant.

"It is a tremendous privilege to take care of Jumbo (Mila), I feel personally humbled and flattered by the big ear flapping purrs she gives me as a greeting when I return to see her from other activities in the sanctuary.

"She is so affectionate and responsive. It will be a joyful day to see her develop friends of the elephant kind in the future. This is a short way off now."


Mr Kerridge said Mila may remain at the zoo with a replacement keeper or be put down.

"We're dealing with a very big animal, a wild animal, and we're dealing with an animal that really shouldn't be on its own," Kerridge said.

"It would be really nice if we could get through that dream of Helen's and get [Mila] to the sanctuary."

Mr Kerridge said the decision would be made by the zoo and SPCA with input from specialists. Mila arrived at Franklin Zoo two years ago after she was handed over to the SPCA. Ms Schofield had nursed her back to health and Kerridge said she had "done a good job".

The elephant, which came to the zoo in 2009 from the Weber Bros Circus, had taken time to integrate into the zoo environment.

 Mila had spent 28 years with the circus before being retired to a purpose-built enclosure at the zoo.

‘Panic attacks’
Ms  Schofield said Mila would "trumpet" when the nearby quarry would do blasting, but had recently done in front of a group of five-year-old children.
Hours before the incident, the elephant appeared friendly and was rubbing its eyes with its trunk, and spraying dust at its trainer. It did not appear agitated.

"We look out and see the elephant every day," a neighbour said. "I don't think it's very friendly. It hasn't had a very happy life."

 A Labour Department spokeswoman said it had been advised of the fatality and was making preliminary inquiries. The death had also been referred to the coroner.

Courtesy of Mark Rosenthal

Franklin Zoo | Have A Wild Time

The fastest website up date in the history of internet!!!!!!

Zookeeper to blame for own death - handler - Story - NZ News - 3 ...

 Sky News: Anxious elephant crushed keeper

Nervous elephant crushes zoo carer | Stuff.co.nz

 Zoo tragedy: Elephant 'always deemed difficult' | NATIONAL News

'Peter Stroud doesn't normally make correct statement's in regards to elephants, but when he does, either by accident or intent, I think they need to be pointed out:  "The incident has been described as a "tragic accident," however zoological consultant Peter Stroud, who worked with Schofield to help her prepare for Mila's arrival, said elephants never do anything by accident.  Stroud said it is a "rule of thumb" in captive elephant management to never regard an attack as purely an accident, as elephants are "very deliberate" creatures."  You be the "expert," anxious, nervous, panicked, always difficult, take your pick.  Which one "feel's good?"

Although, I have to think, "picked her up and lifted her into the air," may have just been a lucky guess on Mr. Strouds part......  I wonder why the "expert's" didn't interpret "spraying dust at its trainer" hours before the incident?  On the subject of "experts" what do you suppose it would have cost to fly Jumbo to California with a plane load of "experts" escorting her to assure that all went well?  I have to wonder how many children could have been brought out of Palestine with only "expert" Ronald McDonald and a box of Happy Meal's escorting them to assure they had something to eat during the flight, for the same amount of money spent on one lone elephant?'