What is stereotypical behavior? Any keen observer visiting a zoo or circus has noticed behavioral disorders and stereotypical behavior in different kinds of animals: chimps tearing out their own fur as well as that ...
Elephants in Snow and Cold
Do elephants freeze? When the zoo public – being themselves wrapped up in thick coats, gloves and woolly hats – see the elephants in winter in the outside enclosure, they wonder, whether it’s not ...
Elephant Smallpox
Where has elephant smallpox occurred? Elephant smallpox occurred for the first time in 1960 in Leipzig Zoo and spread to various countries, primarily in Central Europe, in the following years. How does the illness ...
Elephant Sleep
Do elephants sleep for long? Elephants, just as all other wild animals, are extremely careful and never drop their guard. Avoiding your enemies and staying alert are the most important factors in surviving in ...
Elephant skin
Are elephants really “thick skinned”? The expression of elephants being pachyderms is correct only in part. On vulnerable spots like the trunk embouchure, legs and back, skin can in fact be 2.5 to 3 ...
Pregnancy of elephants
How long does an elephant cow’s menstrual cycle last? An elephant cow’s oestrogen cycle lasts 3-4 months. Thus an elephant cow is only ready to be covered by the bull about 3 to 4 ...
Medical care of elephants
Are elephants frequently ill? Elephants are basically robust animals, with a very good physical constitution. This applies especially to well-fed and well cared-for zoo elephants who are not exposed to any stress. Where do ...
Musth of the elephant bulls
What does the word “musth” mean? An essential part of the problems of the keeping of elephant bulls is the so-called musth. Musth is a word of Persian origin and is translated in the ...
Mice and Elephants
Are elephants really afraid of mice? The rumour that elephants are scared of mice is very persistent and there are whole collections of jokes circulating on this topic. However, these jokes are just as ...
Keeping elephants
How are elephants kept? Nowadays, three different kinds of elephant keeping are used in zoos: “Free Contact”, “Protected Contact” and “Offhand Management”. However, in circuses, elephants are being shown in the ring. Working with ...