elephant anatomy

Sandro’s Joint Issues

Sandro is doing a wonderful job of exercising himself through exploration and he can be a fast elephant when he wants to be. His stride is often confident but relaxed and his body is responding well to his environment. But Sandro’s care team has noticed that when he walks slower,…...

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EleFact Friday: Understanding Musth in Males

We’re back this Friday with more EleFacts–this time about male elephants. Have you heard of musth? This annual hormonal cycle naturally occurs in adult bull elephants and can last anywhere from a few days to as long as several months. Physical and behavioral changes are characterized by secretion of a…...

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EleFact Friday: Lungs and Allergies

As the seasons change all around the world, some of us humans may be experiencing stuffy noses and itchy eyes–a telltale sign of allergies. For today’s EleFact Friday, we want to look at the respiratory systems of elephants and specifically at allergies in animals, both wild and domestic. ...

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Caregiver Notes: Dr. Mateus on Elephant Medicine

Over the past couple of months, we’ve been sharing thoughts from our care team about what it’s like to interact with each individual elephant: their unique qualities, personalities, and how they relate to their caregivers. We’ve heard from Michele on Maia, Luisa on Bambi, Flor on Rana, Sharon on Mara,…...

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Check Out Baby’s Tail

We’ve all seen how glorious and hairy Guillermina’s tail is; it’s definitely the fuzziest of all the girls here at the moment, but Baby appears to be giving Guille a run for her money. The primary difference between the two furry tails: Baby’s hair is more blonde and Guille’s is…...

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EleFact Friday: A Unique Gait

How Elephants Walk When sharing videos of the sanctuary residents, we often receive questions about their gaits, particularly about Rana and Mara. You may have noticed that Mara has an old permanent injury to her right front wrist, affecting her walk, and Rana has a fused elbow from a childhood…...

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