July 26, 2006

R.I.P. Patsy. Toronto Matriarch died Monday.
posted by Capt. Renault 18 years ago
  • More on the reaction of the other elephants here.
  • Would Patsy have lasted so long in the wild? Very ambivalent about zoos at the best of times but enjoyed seeing Toronto last year. Recent visit to Taronga and a realisation that they really are changing. No African elephants here. Revamping enclosure and moving in 6 Indian elephants - all removed from 'slavery' (is that really the right word?) in Thailand. In truth, Patsy probably was the only time i have or will ever see an African away from a wildlife documentary. An experience I cannot regret but am ambivalent about. Truly do they mourn or is it anthropomorphism?
  • Heh. Hi fly. "They know each other as individuals," Smith said. "If you take the elephant away, they would be very confused. But if they're allowed to see the dead elephant, they recognize that it's not going to come back." Elephants don't weep or cry like humans, but they do emit a low rumbling sound to express apparent sadness, and they mope about, Smith said. RIP, Patsy the elephant whom I never saw and didn't even know existed til today. You were 4 tons of fun and a grand old girl, so it seems. Thanks for the link, Louis! Elephant personality and communication is a fascinating topic I think. *trumpets*
  • Elephants and whales the largest of mammals - whale migration here - watched a southern right whale the other day by itself in Botany Bay - 30m from shore - simple pleasures - still wonder why it took the detour from the coastal migration pattern - again how did he communicate to know when to leave?
  • *blink* *blink* So - Louis, did you ever see Patsy? Up close and personal? Take her out for a drink, line dancing, that kinda thing?
  • derail - but an eternally curious question about the larger mammals - i hoped Apologies - the older and larger mammals fascinate me
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  • How come we don't have a large tag for times like this?
  • should have added comment about irrelevant post - how did the whale get lost and how do elephants know?
  • irrelevant lost comments whale interesting, know post-elephants thread. Why wasn't she cremated tho? I'm beginning to look askance at this whole "burying" thing.
  • m maybe PSD if cremation smell gets out - couldn't be small? SUrely Toronto can find a big enuff hole!
  • The elephant, She fell (ephant). The herd, they ring Her knell (ephant). So sad it it to tell (egy), The elephantine elegy.
  • so elegant for an elephant
  • I've seen these elephants several times, but didn't know the story of the matriarch Patsy, or their social structure. As zoos go, Toronto's is a good one, with large open spaces for the animals and not much in the way of confined cages. Sometimes there's so much space the animals are hard to see (if they're hiding in the nether regions). As for why no cremation, one of the articles said there will be an autopsy at the University of Guelph (out my way). After that, back to the zoo for burial...but that's gotta be a pretty grave to dig.
  • Many animals other than man grieve a death - horses, dogs, cats, and many animals associated with man. Parrots also can form intense bonds with other birds and animals and become extremely depressed after a companion dies. Not all animals do so, but some seem to. I've had a horse actually grieve itself to death after its companion of 12 years died. Nothing the vets could recommend or that we could devise to distract her worked. She simply lost her will to continue. Harder by far to say whether creatures in the wild do this, because we don't see so much of their behaviour.
  • Never forget.
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