April 9, 2010: Mr Shuffles
 

Sydney's Taronga Zoo hasn't settled on a name for their newest elephant, but the staff is calling him Mr Shuffles, in the meantime.
Leah told me she went to see him and he looked very tender... er, I mean cute, very cute.

http://cellar.org/2010/mrshuffles.jpg

They've chosen a list of seven Thai names, and are asking the public to choose.

There's more pictures, and a video of him falling in the pool, at the link.

Luk Chai would stiil be tender, but twice as much meat, er, I mean twice as much to love.

Just imagine how furiously those Aunt's and Mom would be after you, if you were to even scare that newborn calf! :eek: :eek:

Hurts just to think about it.

Names? They should add Chop Suey.

I love that elephants are "family oriented."

So cute. I want a pet elephant. He can live right next to my pet cow, my pet pig, my pet goat, my pet horse, and my pet hermit crab.

Porntip? They should name the kid Bangkok just to keep with tradition.

It's Mr. Snuffaluffagus!

_________________
If we're not supposed to eat animals, why are they made out of meat?!

You read my mind. :lol:

(A good shrink can probably help you with that)

They should call him Chuck Norris.

One of the most poignant animal scenes ever, was the matriarch of the elephant herd, with her trunk tenderly caressing the bones of her mother, who had died in the previous year's trek.

The rest of the herd stood back a bit, and sadly, looked on.

I want to say this was on a National Geographic Special, but I'm not positive. Very moving.

I've seen something like that. I get choked up just thinking about it. They are almost human in their family alliances...scratch that...better than some humans.

:heart-on:

In one BIGASS pot, combine 1 baby elephant, 150 lbs potatoes, 75 lbs carrots, 100 lbs onions. Salt & pepper to taste. Bake at 250 degrees for 5 days. Feeds 300.:yum:

Oh, and 50 lbs celery.

Oh, I love that phone call, squirl. (Mind if I call ya squirl?)

That accent...Scottish?

The lady answers the phone "Dublin zoo", so you were sort of close.:D

Tick

OH. :blush:

I was listening from work and adjusted the volume in and out so as not to be too loud. Must've missed that.

Becky's pretty funny.Those calls are a few years old. I wonder what she's up to now.

Sorry for being so slow to comment, only work 3 days a week these days.

I was at the zoo the bay before Mr Shuffles was born. Everyone thought he was a still born inside his mother. It was a very emotional day at the zoo when I was there, tears from everyone and also me. The keepers were so strong explaining to me the process of how long it would take for Prontip to expel the dead baby's body, I cried and cried, it was very sad. Then that very next day the baby was born, big and healthy. I was just so excited (as was everyone involved with the birth) I just couldn't believe it. I even prayed for the mother to get over her still born when I was there the day before he was born. I've been back about 5 -6 times to see him, it's just the most amazing story. I have hundreds of photo's of him and more to come :blush:. You all know my passion for elephants and now I just can't get enough of little Pathi Harn ( his new official name). I actually chose the name midnight miracle (can't remember the Thai name). So Pathi Harn is growing fast every single day. He's just so adorable, just so amazing.

It's funny to see Luk Chai trying to play with the wee one. The mothers and aunties really give him a thump with their legs if Luk Chai gets close without them allowing him. I witnessed them really giving him a huge thump and he was scared, it was funny to watch.

Anyway I could go on and on about this, believe me he's just so cute, like all elephants are.

Love Leah:)

Oh wow. Thank you so much for that. I'm smiling as I type this. You rock! :)

What? You bum, you. :lol2:
Thanks for the up close and personal, they just touched on the feared stillbirth in the article.

Bruce you know me, I could go on and on and on, but I'd bore you all, well probably some of you.

My poor little boy (Alex) I took him the see the new baby elephant a few days after it was born, I made Alex sit in the pram and I fed him junk food so he'd sit still and not carry on or run away like little 3 year olds do. He was happy to sit there and eat chips at 9:30am :3eye: (not a good mother I know, I feel bad, NOT). I just stood there for 3 hours watching the baby elephant (Mr Shuffles) play and run under his mum. When we got home that night Alex's dad (my other half) asked Alex what he saw at the zoo that day. Alex just simply replied "elephants". I had forgotten to show him any other animals. I did however mention that we walked past the bears and giraffes and saw a few birds fly over head, (be it seagulls but it's still birds). I laugh about it now. Poor Alex.

A few days after that we went again with my sister, her 4 year old and my mother. Thank god they took Alex with them to see other animals, I just stayed and watched the elephants play whilst they showed him all around.

Honestly I am a good mother, just crazy on elephants. :right:

Well, you can update us from time to time, on Pathi Harn's progress. With all the shit going down in Thailand, it looks like you won't be going to the sanctuary there for awhile.:(

I will keep you all updated. Yes Thailand is going through a bit of trouble, but it's not up North, away from all the lovely places and people.

No up-dates for last week and this week, it's been school holidays, and I'm not going there during the holidays. (Toooo many kids to anoy me) will go probably on Friday. :o

You mean you haven't climbed over the fence, in the middle of the night, to cuddle him? Honest? :lol:

Believe me, believe me, that has crossed my mind many many times. :neutral: God I wish I could, I'd never leave.

Now that, I believe. :haha:

Yup.

Nice work, Bruce.

I sent it to her... she loved it. :D