# Sad news from Calgary - Our baby elephant died :( **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 3, 2008, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-news-from-calgary-our-baby-elephant-died/470811 "2008-11-03T03:19:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Maui\_Lion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@Maui\_Lion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maui_Lion)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-news-from-calgary-our-baby-elephant-died/470811/21 "2008-11-04T01:04:21Z")
Aw, I’m sorry to hear of the little 'phant passing away. It really is sad that such a thing happened. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-news-from-calgary-our-baby-elephant-died/470811/22 "2008-11-04T01:24:33Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > [This link](http://www.zoocheck.com/campaigns_elephant_update.html) from your links describes Lucy as an Asian elephant and has a picture of an African. If the picture isn’t of Lucy, it seems misleading and if that is indeed Lucy that the folks who wrote the article might be mistaken about other things as well. The article isn’t specifically about Lucy; it also mentions an African named Samantha. Presumably, then, that’s Samantha in the picture. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-news-from-calgary-our-baby-elephant-died/470811/23 "2008-11-04T01:30:03Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Presumably, then, that’s Samantha in the picture. Ah, thanks. PETA had a “Free Ellen” movement to remove the sole Asian elephant from the Little Rock Zoo; their bumper sticker featured an African. My chain is easily yanked on the subject. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-news-from-calgary-our-baby-elephant-died/470811/24 "2008-11-04T02:35:08Z")
This story is really sad and it really is the latest in a long string of bad luck for the Calgary Zoo. They’re still trying to work out what happened with the stingrays - some details are being presented later this month at work, which I might go to. However, Maharani isn’t going to get a Mom of the Year award anytime soon - all the success that Malti had was due to Swarna, her aunty, steping in and providing a great mother role. I assume that Swarna must be past breeding age - otherwise you’d assume that she - being a great mom- would be the one having these calves. As to the elephant herpies, it was being treated by a human anti-viral (anti-herpies) med but it wasn’t enough. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-news-from-calgary-our-baby-elephant-died/470811/25 "2008-11-04T02:52:11Z")
> [@the\_Lady](#): > > There is no connection - other than a string of really bad luck for the zoo. > The first baby was indeed rejected by Rani, and was found to have an intestinal disorder that would certainly have killed her in the wild, only much faster. > With Malti, Rani was a little slow to warm up to her - but was doing alright. > > They still haven’t discovered what happened with the stingrays - something got into the water in their tank that killed nearly all of them. The police were investigating at the time, and I don’t know what came of it. > > The gorillas basically died of old-age. > > We lost a tiger to old-age recently as well. > > Unfortunately, the list makes for good ammo for those who believe that animals shouldn’t be kept in zoos - through no fault of anyone at the zoo. Lashka, the tiger who died last year, was brought back to his home in Calgary from (IIRC) San Diego, for the specific purpose of breeding with our eldest female, Kita. He was already 14 years old when he returned and the trainers told me it became apparent very quickly that he recalled his childhood home, which helped provide some valuable research info on tiger’s long-term memory. He had serious arthritis in his hip when he arrived and underwent surgery to help him move around before he was released into the enclosure. So, yeah, he didn’t have a lot of time left when he came back in 2006. Happily, Lashka and Kita had a baby boy named Vitali, who is about one and a half years old now and has grown to at least as big as his mom and half sister (I can’t tell them apart anymore). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-news-from-calgary-our-baby-elephant-died/470811/26 "2008-11-04T02:53:53Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > This story is really sad and it really is the latest in a long string of bad luck for the Calgary Zoo. They’re still trying to work out what happened with the stingrays - some details are being presented later this month at work, which I might go to. > > However, Maharani isn’t going to get a Mom of the Year award anytime soon - all the success that Malti had was due to Swarna, her aunty, steping in and providing a great mother role. I assume that Swarna must be past breeding age - otherwise you’d assume that she - being a great mom- would be the one having these calves. > > As to the elephant herpies, it was being treated by a human anti-viral (anti-herpies) med but it wasn’t enough. ☹ I understand that Kamala is also a natural mommy and helped a fair bit with the baby. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-news-from-calgary-our-baby-elephant-died/470811/27 "2008-11-04T03:01:56Z")
Boy, the bad news for McCain keeps coming, eh? But seriously, very sad to hear. ☹ Baby elephants are the sweetest… ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-news-from-calgary-our-baby-elephant-died/470811/28 "2008-11-04T03:12:07Z")
I’m sorry to hear about the baby elephant’s death. I’d seen some of the ads here in Regina for the baby at the Calgary Zoo. They also were very appealing. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-news-from-calgary-our-baby-elephant-died/470811/29 "2008-11-04T03:53:15Z")
Our own baby elephant died [here in Montgomery](http://www.wsfa.com/global/story.asp?s=9015161)a couple of months ago- major tragedy at the zoo as he was the first one born here and they were super excited. Worse yet was that his mother had died [the previous month](http://www.wsfa.com/global/story.asp?s=8859023) about a week after giving birth. It’s thought that the calf’s death had to do with having to be fed artificially rather than receiving mother’s milk. ---
**Author:** ![Abraca\_Deborah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e495f1/32.png) [@Abraca\_Deborah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abraca_Deborah)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-news-from-calgary-our-baby-elephant-died/470811/30 "2008-11-04T04:05:07Z")
I was devastated to learn that Malti had died. She stole the hearts of Calgarians, mine included. I love elephants and thought they would be a great topic for an article that would interest kids with hearing loss, just because the elephants have such big, beautiful ears. I was given a “back stage” pass at the Calgary zoo to interview the vet and handlers of Malti. I took tons of photos while she was outside playing and she loved to dig in the dirt. Her first birthday in early September was celebrated with a very big party. She was so vibrant and appeared healthy. I guess the only solace is she did not appear to suffer. It affected her quickly. The others (mother, ‘aunt’, granny, and father) will miss her dearly. Elephants are self aware and know loss and do mourn. True what was asked and answered earlier–there is no connection for the deaths between the elephants, stingrays, gorillas, or tigers. Other than their address. Each was individual and had nothing to do with the care or practices of the zoo. The Calgary Zoo is accredited and the individuals involved in the care are some of the most devoted you will find. I know Malti’s death has hit them hard as they literally worked around the clock when she was born. Baby elephant #1 did have an issue she was born with and would have likely died in the wild (someone upthread mentioned a GI issue); Maharani’s behaviour was partially natural in that she sensed the elephant was ill and would not likely survive, but she also had some parenting skills to learn, too. Very complex issues, but when the vet I interviewed described some of these things, he noted the most difficult part of his job is dealing with the press. Malti was part of a captive breeding program research project (in conjunction with the St. Louis Zoo) looking at hand-raised babies in captivity versus elephant raised babies in captivity. Sometimes unfortunate things happen and perhaps the virus she contracted could have happened in the wild (carried by adult elephants) with the same end result. She led a full, happy life, although it was far, far too short. Good bye, sweet Malti. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-news-from-calgary-our-baby-elephant-died/470811/31 "2008-11-04T04:07:21Z")
☹ ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-news-from-calgary-our-baby-elephant-died/470811/32 "2008-11-04T15:51:05Z")
> [@K364](#): > > Featherlou - I wish Edmonton would relent it’s stubborn position [on it’s elephant Lucy](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=lucy+edmonton+elephant&btnG=Search). Lucy should be with other Elephants in Calgary, or someplace warmer. I agree - we know that herd animals like horses and elephants shouldn’t be kept alone, and elephants are so much smarter than horses. I wonder at the choices being made for the elephants there. We are zoo supporters and I believe that the keepers in zoos truly do want to do what’s best for all their animals, but I can’t see the justification for a lone elephant. ---
**Author:** ![Myrrajh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/87869e/32.png) [@Myrrajh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrrajh)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-news-from-calgary-our-baby-elephant-died/470811/33 "2008-11-04T17:14:37Z")
She was just so adorable. It’s so sad. On the news last night they showed a mom and a pre-schooler son reading the notice on the door and then turning away. The little guy looked like he was going to start bawling. ☹ Our zoo is a great place and I believe they do have the animals’ best interests at heart and really care about them. A few years ago one of our tigers died from cancer and his keeper was so distraught that he had to take some time off for mental health reasons. Now I’m thinking back to all the pets we’ve had in our family. It’s impossible to not fall in love with them. Even the horses. I’m surprised that so many people just think of them as herd zombies. Each of them had distinct and wonderful personalities. Geez I miss them. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-news-from-calgary-our-baby-elephant-died/470811/34 "2008-11-04T22:02:52Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > IWe are zoo supporters and I believe that the keepers in zoos truly do want to do what’s best for all their animals, but I can’t see the justification for a lone elephant. They could give a home to circus retirees. That’s how the Little Rock Zoo obtained Ellen’s companion, [Mary.](http://www.littlerockzoo.com/animals/elephant.htm) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-news-from-calgary-our-baby-elephant-died/470811.md?page=1)