Thai flowers, my arse
I was going to write a serious piece about the sad necessity that zoos have increasingly greater responsibilities as cataloguers and maintainers of the world’s animal species, BUT I’M OBSESSED WITH THE BABY ELEPHANT AT MELBOURNE ZOO!
All photos sourced: Jason South, www.theage.com.au
I just want to scoop all 110+ kilograms of her up in my arms, steal her away into my (incredibly undersized for the task) car and then panic about what to feed my little wrinkly princess. Her mother, Dokkoon, would be upset at having her gorgeous cuddlemonster taken away, so I suppose I’d have to return with the family’s alpaca transporter and see if I can squeeze mamma elephant in the back and bring her home as well. The trees at my house wouldn’t keep them fed for long, but there’s a large horse paddock out the back that will serve for meals until I find elephant agistment. The peninsula stocks many kinds of exotic animals like camels, deer and the odd water buffalo or two so I’m sure there I’ll locate suitable facilities for elephants in this week’s local paper.
The water tanks are full and Dokkoon and Baby Dok will enjoy the elephant-sized pool and baby-safe play pool once I’ve, erm, had the paddock out the back excavated. I have a Swiss ball that’s collecting dust so the l’il one and I will play elephant soccer with it to her heart’s content.
I’m upset about the zoo’s competition to name Baby Dok after Thailand’s floral heritage. The options are Leelawadee (frangipani), Ma Li Wan (climbing jasmine), Su Ma Lee (osmanthus), Mali (jasmine) and Iyares (which apparently means both elephant and orchid). The buttheads at my work don’t agree with me calling her Baby Dok, and I say, “Come on, she’s a baby, her mother is Dokkoon, and it’s a rappin’ good elephant name.” I need another job where my co-workers are a little less critical and lot more enthusiastic about my excellent ideas. In the meantime, I’m plotting a day off work away from them and with my new saggy baggy elephant baby.
Crank-o-meter: come to your new mamma, Baby Dok
February 21st, 2010 at 1:14 pm
Oh she is gorgeous!! I haven’t been to see the baby elephant in Sydney yet, but have been meaning too. But this one is even smaller! Have you been to see her MsC?
February 21st, 2010 at 5:56 pm
Baby Dok is a good name, but she can’t be cheif justice of the Supreme Court with a name like Baby Dok. I think Mali is a pretty name.
February 21st, 2010 at 10:53 pm
What’s Thai for hairy little elephant? ha ha.
She’s so very cute, I love seeing pics of her in papers and things.
February 21st, 2010 at 11:04 pm
Oh, I’m glad you’re going to take her on. I was considering it, but was a bit worried about sleeping space — I have very little bed to myself as it is. Disco may be a small cat, but she sleeps *large*, you know? I’ll come visit and bring here some gigantic kitty toys once she’s all settled in on the peninsula.
February 22nd, 2010 at 11:20 am
Wasn’t Baby Dok an Haitian dictator?
February 22nd, 2010 at 5:27 pm
HH, there’s a baby elephant in Sydney? Oh dear, I must make haste and get myself there as soon as I can! I haven’t been to see (collect) the Melbourne girlie yet :-).
It’s a good point you make, Foodycat. Perhaps Baby Dok can be her informal name and Mali-phant her royal name ;-).
I don’t know much Thai, Fen, but I love her baby hair, too! She’s so CUTE!
You reckon I’ve got space, Owl? My dreams are a lot larger than my reality here, but where there’s a (twisted and delusional) will, there’s a way! Mali-phant will love oversized kitteh toyz!
comrade, we’re re-branding, re-naming, re-badging for the 21st century. Shoosh ;-).
February 22nd, 2010 at 9:22 pm
I love the baby elephant to bits. She can marry Sydney’s baby elephant and have baby elephants of her own. When she’s a bit bigger, of course.
February 23rd, 2010 at 3:40 pm
A baby elephant is a bit responsibility, Miss Cranky. They are incredibly cheeky and inquisitive animals, too, and quite aware enough of their size and how to use it. They also don’t grow any smaller
Perhaps you ought to ask your mum about it, first?
(I do like your name suggestions, though).
February 23rd, 2010 at 5:29 pm
Oh my god, SSS, I just checked out the Taronga Zoo web site. This video is a cracker: http://babyelephant.taronga.org.au/ He scratches his little elephant bum about 12 seconds in and is soooooooooo funny! If they’re not related, perhaps we can broker a matchmaking deal!
lila, years ago my mum supported my campaign to take in the CSIRO’s Clydesdale horses that were going to be put down because the vaccine extracted from them was no longer needed. There were about a dozen of them *blush* … thankfully a public campaign enabled the horses to be saved and re-homed elsewhere. My mum is a bit crazy and would probably encourage elephant tenants :-).
February 25th, 2010 at 10:05 am
Well, it’s Mali. A delicate little flower
February 25th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
And a delicate little petal she is! Foodycat picked it!
Come to mummy, little Mali …