In the Barcelona zoo, the 40 -year -old African elephant puts his leg through a metal barrier, where the keeper smoothly wipes his sole. Favorite Paiderma every day receives his “Pedu” along with the slices of apples.
Treatment is part of a specialized geriatric care for the zoo for elderly animals, which cannot be introduced into nature again, since zoological gardens around the world more and more emphasize life throughout life.
“Sending them back to nature would be a mistake,” said Pilar Palla, director of the care of the zoo mammals. “This, most likely, will not survive.”
In recent decades, zoos have become the goal of reformulating with an emphasis on Preservation of species And in education, moving away from the paradigm of the past, where exotic animals often manifested as a spectacle.
The new approach includes knowledge of how to adapt to the needs of elderly animals, which led to the fact that the zoos create larger and more nature-like buildings, such as the Sahel-Savannna area in the Spanish city of Barcelona.
Help the old animals
Together with Reproduction programs According to Martin Zordan, the executive director of the world association of zoos and aquariums or a vase, in order to again imagine animals in the nature of animals in nature, zoological gardens want to ensure that animals that live longer in achievements in veterinary assistance.
“Specialized geriatric care is becoming more and more important,” said Associated Press at the organization’s offices in Barcelona.
Zordan said that, like elderly people, older animals require more help: regular health control, treatment of arthritis, more smooth food or food additives, adapted living spaces and monitoring of mental and behavioral health.
In addition to taking care of a couple of elderly elephants, the Barcelona zoo is also a house 15 -year -sold Wolf, leopard and 17 -year -old, as well as some elderly birdsIncluding a bunch of senior flamingos.
This is not the only one: for example, several zoos in the United States emphasize treatment given by an elderly animal such as zoological gardens of a loaf and a loaf -ruzh.
The study of mourning
The keepers of the Barcelona zoo, not far from the Mediterranean coast of the city, carefully monitor their two older women, Susi and Bully (pronounces Buh’-Yi), dealing with the recent death of Yoyo, his long-standing companion, who died in December in 54.
SUSI, 52 years old, now among African elephants The elder is known in captivity, although the vase said that the age of animals born in nature is approximate. Hooligan, 40 years old, is also considered old for the African elephant. Three were captured in the wild and spent some time in circuses and other zoos before they arrived in Barcelona.
Currently, the zoo works with the University of Barcelona to study the influence of the death of Yoyo on Susi and Bools. This is the first study of this genre, concentrated on elephants, which are not from the same family after the death of a long -standing companion, the Associated Press said during a recent visit to the zoo.
At first, Susi and Bully express their shock, do not eat, but now they adapt well and turn to each other, including even the separation of food, said Padilla, adding that Susi took the dominant role that Yoyo had from.
How does the age of the elephant know?
For elephants, their teeth are a real age test.
“What marks the decline of the animal is wearing teeth,” said Jose Maria Santamaria, the Barcelona Zoo, after the end of the pedicure of the bully. “They pass six prayers during their lives, and when they reach about 40 years, they lose their last set.”
Susi and hooligan need daily tests, suitable food for mouths without molar and additional attention to their legs – hence the daily lover and a soft sandy floor of the meeting place to soften the pain in the paws.
“These are those considerations accepted because we are concerned about the fact that these animals live comfortably and have a decent life,” Zordan said.