As a former zookeeper... I can relate to the fact that these facilities are
kept for the convenience and education of the public. In time, they are
improving, but the goals are to educate the public as well as preserve
species. The two goals really don't mix very well.
It would have been nice for this mother and baby to have a traditional
babymoon, as they would in the wild. The other females would have been
around to help nurture the new mother, protect them both and possibly feed
the baby. Instead, baby Maliha is a huge attraction, being viewed by
thousands of people every day. I can't imagine many human dyads doing well,
being on display like this. Elephants are a very quiet, gentle breed, and
they prefer privacy to exhibition.
When I was in the primate department, it was common practice to hand-raise
primates. In fact, I raised two myself, a red-tailed guenon and a squirrel
monkey. It was exhausting. They fed every 1.5-2 hours, around the clock,
with formula and eventually cereal mixed in because it was too much for us
to be up all night and work our shifts the following days. I remember
another keeper who was pumping for her daughter, and had excess milk. She
offered it to the primate department for use with a new baby orang. I also
remember the shock and horror on the staff faces, at the thought of using
*human milk* in the first place, and then to use human milk for *an ape*??
No, he continued to be fed with cow's milk formula.
There are quite a few human applications to this elephant story!
Best wishes,
Heather "Sam" Doak
<<
This is very interesting to me. We were in St. Louis last week and visited
the zoo and did get a chance to see the new baby elephant and mother.
Mother and baby kept far back from the spectators. Mom seemed nervous to
me, swaying her head back and forth, back and forth and not moving very
much. Baby kept very near mom. I wonder if just being in the zoo envrinment
itself is not good for this mom and baby.
Sheena Carnes, BSN, RN, LLL Leader, CBE
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