by Elephants Obediently Lie Still For Conservation Staff To Put Medicine In His Eyes
At the Elephant Rescue Center in Botswana Jabu lies down on command before allowing the conservation worker to walk directly toward him and put antibiotic drops in his eye. Jabu can be seen walking across the sandy dunes towards the male keeper. He raises his hand and places it on the animal’s thigh before saying in a calm voice, “Jabu, lie down.”
The elephant takes a step back and then bends his back legs to collapse himself to the ground meekly. He lays down on his side with his front legs stretched out in front of him. The conservation worker says ‘good boy’ and throws Jabu a handful of food as a reward.
He then walks up to the elephant to check his eye and says: ‘I think that’s starting to look a little bit better.’
The worker pulls out a small white bottle of antibiotic drops and leans closer. The flies continue to buzz around his head, causing Jabu to groan and blink.
The keeper says, ‘Jabu, stay,’” and grasping the elephant’s eyelashes with his left hand; he pulls its eye open.
As the keeper squeezes the liquid beneath the elephant’s eyelids, it becomes apparent that Jabu’s eye is red and irritated.
The gentle giant then cheekily opens his mouth with a grin on his face, waiting for an extra treat, and the keeper concurs by providing several more handfuls of nuts. He pats Jabu’s trunk before walking away, informing him that he can now get up. Workers at the Living with Elephants Foundation’s rescue center noticed that Jabu had a watery eye and treated it by giving him three doses of antibiotics each day. Jabu, the bull of the herd, was orphaned in Kruger National Park, South Africa.
How to Care for an Elephant. Elephants require specialized care on a tremendous scale. From their feed to their skin care to their enormous need for water, only trained personnel should care for elephants. Supply more water in hot temperatures. Measure the water consumption, and make sure they are taking in extra water when it’s hot. Keep the elephant’s drinking time stress-free to prevent any fighting or other aggressive behaviors. Provide water for showering while the elephant drinks.
Check the level of metals in the elephant’s drinking water. Gauge the levels each morning to ensure that the water was not contaminated while in the pipes overnight. Test for copper and zinc along with any other metals. Clean the elephant’s skin each day. Include a cleaning and inspection of the ears, tusk pockets, hind legs, stomach and the skin surrounding the eyes.
Prevent the elephant from getting chilly after a shower. Dry your elephant before allowing it into cold air, or keep it indoors until it dries. In warm climates, let the sun dry it.
