Another Elephant Death » Toronto Zoo

okapikpr · **Another Elephant Death** 15-06-2009

Tessa died from injuries sustained from a fight...

CTV Toronto - African elephant dies at Toronto zoo after stumble - CTV News, Shows and Sports -- Canadian Television

Ash · 15-06-2009

Oh no, there's been loads of elephant deaths lately too.

clm1950 · 15-06-2009

Rest in peace Dear Tessa. You deserved so much better.

Meaghan Edwards · 15-06-2009

Oh no

RIP, Tessa.

Quartz92 · 15-06-2009

O thats so sad! And she wasn't even sick. Thats another big blow to the zoo. Sad to hear.

Flixox101 · 15-06-2009

This is terrible news

How many elephants are left at the zoo now?

Tapir26 · 15-06-2009

I heard about this on CP24. R.I.P Tessa

Now there's only 4 elephants left at the zoo.

dragon(ele)nerd · 15-06-2009

that's so tragic, rest in peace tessa,

I don't like though how so many zoos say that 40 or so is longer lifespan than elephants in the wild.

Meaghan Edwards · 15-06-2009

From Google:

Quote:

lephant Dead At Toronto Zoo, Knocked Over By Another Animal
Sunday June 14, 2009
CityNews.ca Staff

A beloved elephant has died, the Toronto Zoo announced on Sunday.

It's the second elephant to die at the zoo in nine months.

Tessa, who was born in the wild but taken in by the institution in 1974, was knocked over by a more dominant member of the herd.

Despite the best efforts by staff, she was not able to stand back up on her own. She was 39 years old.

A zoo keeper saw the unexpected attack on Saturday and staff quickly sprang into action. Heavy equipment and a sling were used, and employees kept the elephant comfortable with water and food, but it was too late.

Tessa died during rescue efforts.

"There was too much weight on her organs," marketing director Shanna Young explained.

Elephants, like people, form strong social networks, the zoo outlined in a press release. The zoo's four remaining elephants - Thika, Toka, Iringa and Tara - were allowed to view the body and mourn Tessa's death.

A post-mortem was conducted on Sunday. Tessa will be buried on zoo property.

"Tessa was the gentlest of elephants and was dearly loved by the elephant keeping staff," remembered Eric Cole, supervisor of the African Savanna.

"Tessa was a weaker member of the herd and enjoyed a life expectancy longer than would have happened in the wild. Ordinarily Tessa managed to avoid the activities of the more dominant elephants but in this incident was caught off guard and tripped over."

CityNews.ca - Toronto's News: Elephant Dead At Toronto Zoo, Knocked Over By Another Animal

Buckeye092 · 15-06-2009

Another major blow to the Toronto bloodline. Rest in peace, Tessa.

Zoogoer2000 · 15-06-2009

Oh my god! Thats so sad! RIP Tessa, you were always loved by many. I feel so bad for the herd as well, 3 elephants since 2006. I also want to send my condolences to Ungulate, this must be very hard

Meaghan Edwards · 15-06-2009

Quote:

Tessa, 40: Metro Zoo's gentlest giant
STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR
Eric Cole fills in for the zoo's grieving elephant keepers a day after Tessa's death from falling over. Efforts to get the elephant back on her feet failed.
Print Print

Snaggle-tusked runt a favourite with staff, visitors
Jun 15, 2009 04:30 AM
Comments on this story (9)
Megan Ogilvie
Staff Reporter

One by one they came to visit their dead.

All through the night, Thika, Toka, Iringa and Tara made their way across the Toronto Zoo enclosure to stand by their fallen sister, a 40-year-old elephant who died Saturday after a shove from a dominant member of the group.

Some stood solitary vigil, others tossed dirt on to the cooling body. But each was there to mourn Tessa, one of the original members of their herd.

"She was never alone," said Eric Cole, supervisor of the African Savanna at the Toronto Zoo.

Tessa fell Saturday after being pushed by another elephant looking to steal her food. Zoo staff did everything they could to get Tessa back on her feet – even bringing in a crane and sling – but she was unable to stand on her own.

"We tried to lift her up with the crane and she put her feet on the ground, but she just wasn't supporting herself," said Cole.

"She just stopped breathing when we put her back down. She died slowly."

Tessa was one of the zoo's original inhabitants when it opened its doors in 1974, and during her 35 years in the elephant enclosure, millions of visitors watched her toss her trunk, take dust baths and munch on hay.

The bug-eyed, snaggle-tusked elephant was a favourite with staff, who said she was endlessly patient with her keepers.

When she died, three hours after being knocked down, the eight elephant keepers were distraught.

"It was a flood of tears," said Cole, who has worked with the elephants for 10 years. "Everyone kind of said their goodbyes to her. It was very quiet, people were hanging their heads and crying. ... We were just drained."

The docile pachyderm, who had health problems since birth, was the least dominant member of the zoo's five-female herd.

"She was a bit of a runt," said Cole.

Her eyes were buggy and slightly crossed. Her left tusk grew in a semicircle. Her tongue curled weirdly and her mouth was crooked. Tessa also had poor muscle tone and found it difficult to use her trunk.

Cole said he and the other keepers found Tessa to be a slower learner than the other elephants.

"She was an interesting animal," he said. "Everything was different about Tessa."

He believes Tessa's fall, soon after the elephants were given hay, was an accident.

"It wasn't about bullying, it was about getting food," he said. "It wasn't anything malicious."

Because of her weak trunk, Tessa was using her left foot to guide hay to her trunk. As Tessa was balancing on three legs, Thika rushed at her to gain an extra share of the hay. Tessa tried to move away and was caught off balance.

Huffman immediately called for help. Within minutes, the other four elephants were contained and zoo vets were on the scene.

Cole said elephants cannot stay on the ground for long because their weight puts too much pressure on their internal organs.

Tessa could not help herself stand because she had fallen on one of her back legs and was lying at an awkward angle on a hill.

During the three-hour attempt to get Tessa on her feet, Huffman said zoo staff made sure the elephant remained comfortable.

"We fed her a whole bucket of treats at the end," he said. "I don't think she suffered."

Keeper Hannah Hamel said the elephant never made a move to harm her helpers.

"It was like she understood we were trying to help her," she said.

Tessa will be buried on the zoo grounds near other elephant graves.

One day after her death, Cole said the keepers were still "cut up" by her absence. Many were remembering Tessa's favourite antics.

"Tessa liked to toss hay on her head," said Cole. "She would go around with a blob of hay on her head, like a hat. She looked ridiculous."

Former elephant keeper Tony Meuleman, now senior keeper at the zoo's Canadian Domain, said Tessa was a long-time favourite.

"She would put her trunk out and let me rub her tongue," he said. "She was a gentle soul, very gentle."

TheStar.com | living | Tessa, 40: Metro Zoo's gentlest giant

Leptonyx · 16-06-2009

Poor girl....Ungulate you have my condolences as well; RIP Tessa

Meaghan Edwards · 16-06-2009

My heart goes out to the staff and the rest of the herd.

Shut up, Toronto Inhumane Society

Toronto Humane Society | Welcome

Last I checked, it wasn't Toronto Zoo that allowed sick animals to die in cages because it's OMG so cruel to humanely end their suffering (as if) -- or used donation money on driving around drunk. They really have no room to talk about what's cruel and what isn't.

Ash · 16-06-2009

That's a good video, because they'll be the first to defend it, showing that there are indeed two sides to each story and that not everything is as bad as it looks on film. Then they'll go and film a lion pacing and claim Toronto zoo are torturing their animals :rolleyes"

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