SAD NEWS at the Animal Kingdom

[Phonedave]

I heard from the education team today that she wasn't well. Sad She had apparently been spilling large amounts of protein for a few weeks. They had to move quite a few educational programs/back stage tours due to her illness.

That "spilling large amounts of protein" took me a minute. I was thinking in terms of somthing like ketosis where you are "spilling ketones" and I am trying to think what condition is indicated by some organ spilling protiens into the body. Then I "disneyfied" it and I got your meaning.


-dave

 

[Disneyson 1]

It wasn't Big Red, was it?

Is it bad that I laughed?

I'm really very sad. I just hate it when anything dies, even a fly.

 

[WDITrent]

Aww... Poor elephant. That's too bad. Especially to die that way.

But yay for the giraffes!

 

[mystical magic]

That's very sad for a young animal.


...and what exactly do you do with a dead elephant???

 

[jiim161]

My family is so sad...We do not know much about elephants, but love seeing them at the Animal Kingdom....We all hope that all feel the best for everyone involved

 

[TalkingHead]

Very true.

I was not trying to imply what is right or wrong, I was only stating a fact that now the circle of life does indeed involve animals living at zoos.

You're right. For a small minority of animals it does. For most it doesn't.

 

[hrcollectibles]

Actually, 24 is pretty young for elephants.

~Sad~

As Billy Joel Sang Only the good die young

 

[DisneyEverest]

Very sad.......

 

[bennyw01]

hard to help, im sure they made there best effort to keep this animal comfortable

 

[Susan Savia]

I was sorry to hear that. Their one of my favorite animals to see on the ride...

 

[teebin]

That's very sad for a young animal.


...and what exactly do you do with a dead elephant???

Possibly offer it to a zoology school for research... :shrug:

 

[bgraham34]

The real interesting thing is how difficult it is to move the body.

 

[Gucci65]

Possibly offer it to a zoology school for research... :shrug:

Hopefully make the offer to nearby vet students to attend the necropsy (sp?).

I got to see one they did on a polar bear that died in the Atlanta Zoo quite a few years ago. (I attended with my sister, who was a vet student at the time-----now a doctor).

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Perhaps they could add it to the poaching element of the ride.

 

[fosse76]

Considering they can live to be over 70, 24 is pretty young...

Most research shows that the median life expectancy of captive Asian elephants is around 45 years. The median life expectancy of captive African elephants is around 33 years (though researchers expect that to increase). So while it is true that elephants can live to over 80 years old, an equal number die at 25...so it isn't completely unexpected for a captive elephant to die so young. Of course, this is all based on data as it is now. Life expectancy patterns change constantly.

 

[MKCP 1985]

But the real circle of life doesn't involve being held captive at a theme park/zoo...

you won't get too much sympathy with that statement on these boards from people who pay thousands of dollars to be held captive at Disney theme parks and wish they could stay longer. :ROFLOL:

 

[Hobbes]

you won't get too much sympathy with that statement on these boards from people who pay thousands of dollars to be held captive at disney theme parks and wish they could stay longer. :roflol:

How very true..... LOL

 

[rbrower]

I'm terribly sorry to hear this.

 

[puntagordabob]

sorry to hear that... Hopefully grazing happily in the next phase of existence in animal heaven