Remembering Pet the elephant
As reporters, we sometimes get to go behind the scenes and do things that other people don't usually get a chance to experience.
Stories about the Oregon Zoo have always been among my favorites, because I'm a huge animal lover and nothing compares to getting to meet some of the gentle giants in person, like the time I got to help bathe the elephants.
It was a very hot day and the elephants needed a cool bath. If they were wild, they'd probably be standing trunk deep in a pond or rolling in mud.
Inside the Oregon Zoo exhibit, the elephants like to roll in the dirt. The zookeepers told me it's their way of putting on 'sunscreen.'
So on this particular day, they really needed a bath and lucky me, I got to help.
I have to admit, my heart was pounding very hard when the zookeeper brought me past the protection of the thick metal bars and inside the elephant exhibit. The elephants were so big, would they be friendly?
But the huge animals slowly sauntered up, not appearing aggressive at all. They even offered their trunks, kind of like a handshake. It sounds corny, I know, but I couldn't help but get a huge, childish grin on my face.
The zookeeper pulled out a long hose and told me to start spraying. The elephants really seemed to enjoy it, waving their trunks around and even opening their massive mouths to take a drink.
Since I'm not a zookeeper, I wasn't sure which one was which, but I was told that Pet especially liked to be scratched behind the ears and I do remember doing a lot of scratching that day.
The attached picture was taken during my short stint in the elephant yard, and it's a memory of Pet and her family that I will always cherish.
- Teresa Bell/kgw.com Senior Producer and Reporter
In addition to my insights, I thought you might enjoy reading some quotes I collected from Mike Keele, the zoo's deputy director and former elephant keeper who worked directly with Pet.
- She was such a special animal. I am so fortunate to have been able to work with her. She represents the end of an era to me, since she is the last of our original females. I am lucky to have known
and worked with them all.
-She was so intelligent. She enjoyed spending time with her daughter Sung-Surin and the other cows. She was a wonderful ambassador for her species. Millions and millions of zoo visitors have made a connection with Asian elephants because of her.
Even though Keele has spent countless hours with many, many elephants he said Pet was by far his favorite.
We'd love to hear your favorite memories of Pet and the elephant exhibit as well.
Comments
Observations from Mike Keele, deputy director and former elephant keeper
Following Pet's passing, the girls, Sung Surin, Rose Tu and Chendra were given an opportunity to visit with her.
The following is my interpretation of what I observed. This may differ from the interpretation of others who observed the same events. The cows spent about 35 minutes with Pet before returning to the front exhibit room.
All three cows entered the room with Pet and began to touch her. Within a couple of minutes, one of the cows chirped, which was followed by a roar and trumpet. Rose Tu and Chendra seemed more interested than Pet's daughter, Sung Surin. Sung Surin touched and smelled different parts of Pet * her eye, her ears * then she left the room and turned around to face the room where Pet was. It seemed like she was waiting for the other two cows to follow her out of the room. When they didn't, Sung Surin returned and found some hay to eat. She seemed interested in other novel places in the room. Chendra went back and forth, from Pet to other places of interest. Once, she left and returned with a mouth full of hay and she stood in the room and finished it.
Rose Tu was the most tactile with Pet. She smelled behind both of Pet's ears as well as her trunk. Rose has always found comfort with Pet's tail where she grabs it with her trunk and then pulls in under her front leg * almost like a security blanket. She spent some time maneuvering Pet's tail, never really able to put it under her front leg. She also rubbed her body against Pet's back side and, a couple of times, partly straddled her. As time progressed, both Sung Surin and Chendra moved out of the room, leaving Rose Tu alone with Pet. Once, Rose started to slowly leave the room and as she walked away, she would slightly swing out her left rear toward Pet and look back. She did this a couple of times before leaving the room. Then she turned around and faced the room where Pet was. It looked like she expected Pet to follow her. When that didn't happen, she came back into the room. She spent a little more time with Pet before joining the other cows.
There wasn't a lot of vocalization * at least at a level that humans can hear. One roar, one trumpet, a couple of chirps and some rumbling. Occasionally, the cows would open their ears and face one another and touch one another's trunks. For the most part, it seemed peaceful and tranquil. I wish I really knew what was happening*
Posted by: Mike Keele | August 3, 2006 7:32 AM
I am sorry to have to lose her, all our animals are so precious. macseen
Posted by: Macseen Zimmerman | August 5, 2006 10:15 AM
I was saddened to read about the loss of Pet. She sounded like a beautiful elephant. I was so glad to hear that the zoo staff allowed the other elephants to say their goodbyes. Mr. Keele's recollection was also very Touching. KGW thank you so much for posting Mr. Keele's special blog and Teresa Bell's too.
Posted by: Jared | August 7, 2006 10:18 AM