In response to the thread on Nov. 30th(type albino buffalo in the search bar) Glenn Sullivan, Deputy Team Leader Elephants from the Whipsnade Zoo sent these great pictures with this comment:
"In reference to your pics on white water buffalo,back in the 90's I remember 1 maybe 2 white asian water buffalo of the domestic strain being bred at Western plains zoo,Dubbo,no photos unfortunately.They were moved onto Mogo zoo.I worked for Mogo in the late 90's and they weren't about by then."
Steve Robinson, Director Darling Downs Zoo, do you know anything about the white buffalo that went to Mogo Zoo?
The picture above and these below were when Glenn was in Nepal in 2009 near Bardia national park. I am intrigued by the rope in the animals nose to guide it. It seems to be through the mouth and out the left nostril. I have never seen that system before, actually I thought all bovine were guided with a ring in the nose. How does it work if you want to go right? In the picture at the bottom, the rope looks like it is over the animals right horn, again I would think that would stop the pull in the nostril that guides the animal. Any thoughts, and is a rope through one nostril common practice for Asian Water Buffalo? Do they take it out, or leave it in like a nose ring? Are they able to go through the opposite nostrel also, or just the left? Great photo's Glenn, thank you.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Asian Buffalo with a star? Colored Asian Buffalo update
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
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9 comments:
In looking at the top picture again closer, I answered on of my own questions. It appears the rope is coming out the right nostril of the buffalo with the star. But now I have another question. Do they have a gee and a haw buffalo on each team, or why is the rope run through opposite nostril? Thank you.
Wade
Wade - Mogo had/have a number of buffs but I have not seen a white one there.
Many years ago I worked with a water buffalo in Robert Perry's family's circus.
It was the most boof-headed animal that I have ever known. Nobody shed a tear when it finally died. It was poisoned by the compulsory tick spray that we used to have spray our ungulates with when we passed from one State to another. Buffs are like elephants - very sparse body hair. The poison was absorbed through the skin on a hot day - killing the animal. Ashtons Circus lost an elephant in the same way some years later.
Alma Park Zoo has had Water Buffalo for many years. They keep them confined with an electric fence. Their keepers control them by walking into their compound with a T-piece of wire held in front of them like an electric fence. The buff that I knew was as dumb as dog's dirt but Alma Park's are bright enough to recognise the wire.
White buffs are not unusual in Australia.
I was only in Nepal for 10 days so I didn't acquire an encyclopeadic knowledge of all things water buffalo.I'm good but not that good.I still have contacts there so I will try to find out.I will say the animals work hard and the tethered animals remained like this as I walked past these animals in the morning and again in the afternoon.Cheers.
Glenn,
Aww come on, you are kidding me right? You know I am serious about this animal training deal of ours. I'm looking for answers not alibis. At least Steve was able to conclude in short order, that they were boff-headed and dumb as dog's dirt.
I'm going to be frank for a moment, with both of you mates. I'm really concerned about the direction animal training seems to be heading in Australia. I ask a simple question about how farmers have been training a bovine for a thousand years, and you Glenn, whine about not having enough time to study it, and Steve basically tells me how to kill it. I guess the good new's is TWPZ is protected contact, and that shouldn't take you much time at all to get a handle on that.
Stay safe,
Wade
Wine,don't you drink it.I am just so fortunate that I had the opportunity to learn from your learned colonial mates in the USA and also from here at Whipsnade about PC so I might just make the grade at Dubbo.If I need any tips I won't be calling you but if I have to train a white water buffalo then I'll give you a bell(a cow bell)haha.Don't worry about us blokes in oz Wade,noone else does,we get the job done.Not as much glitter as some but it get's done.For your info the Barossa valley amongst some does good wine.Cheers ay
Steve, do you know who the elephant was at Ashton's?
G'day Radar,
The elephant was Gilda.
She had been acquired from Taronga Zoo along with Gigi. Alfons Arndt had been their trainer at the zoo - and a good one too.
Fritz Schulz put some work into them when Ashtons bought them.
Gigi went to Stardust Circus when Ashtons folded. She buddied up really well with their elephant Arna. After Arna allegedly killed a bloke the two elephants went to Western Plains Zoo where they are patiently awaiting the arrival of Mr Glenn Sullivan.
Steve,
"Ray Williams, 57, who suffered a broken back and ruptured aorta.
He was crushed in mysterious circumstances while tending to Arna before a performance at Yamba, on the NSW north coast, on December 28.
Police say nobody saw or heard the attack. A fellow handler discovered Mr Williams, lying face down in the makeshift elephant enclosure where he died. His death is being treated as an accident."
In regards to "his death is being treated as an accident," and "allegedly" as that was 2007 and this is now 2010 have they come to any conclusion as to how his back was broken and his aorta ruptured?
Wade
Wade - there are too many complexities about this incident to make a simple comment about it on the blog.
There were enough grey areas about the incident for the owners to decide to place the elephants in a zoo.
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