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about zoos in general, and good zoos in particular.
I love zoos!
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What is a zoo?
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Zoos are endangered!
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Keep the elephants!
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Zoos are for adults, too!
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Comparing Elephant Webcams and Elephants
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I love the Elmwood Park Zoo!
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How do you pronounce oh-KAH-pee?
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I love the National Zoo! (for 11 great reasons!)
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There is a Moral to This (True) Story!
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A Trend Turnaround
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I love the Elmwood Park Zoo and the National Zoo's websites!
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Winds of Change are in the Air!
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Research Results
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Don't Do It!
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My Favorite Zoo ...
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My Favorite Zoo UPDATE
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Wednesday, June 20, 2007
You can watch The Elephant Sanctuary's webcam to see elephants living in peaceful, private, wide open spaces.
And you can watch either of the National Zoo's elephant webcams to see elephants in the outdoor area of their zoo exhibit, or in the indoor area of their exhibit.
I have been watching these webcams a lot lately, and I've noticed some things. First, my eyeballs sometimes seem frozen in place for a few minutes after I get up and walk away from the computer.
Second, all the elephants appearing on all the webcams seem to be doing the same thing: being elephants. About the only difference I've noticed is that the zoo elephants get a daily bath and back scrub, but the sanctuary elephants wash themselves in a pond, then scratch their backs on trees.
Third, while I am watching the Elephant Sanctuary's webcam, I sort of feel like I know the particular elephants, in about the same way I feel like I know characters in a movie.
But the feeling is much different while I watch the elephants on the National Zoo's webcams. I have seen those elephants many, many times in real life, standing a few feet from me, doing the same things they are doing while I am watching them on the webcam. Their images on the computer screen just seem so much more real.
Could it be that sanctuary people, who are fortunate enough to have such personal contact with elephants, don't realize that the reason they care so much about elephants is that they have had that personal contact?
I have said it before, but I want to repeat it here: I love the National Zoo!
Labels: Elephant Sanctuary, elephants, National Zoo, webcams
posted by Zoo Visitor
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3 Comments:
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My websites:
I love the Philadelphia Zoo! (updated February 9, 2008)
I love zoos!
My other blogs:
A Zoo Visitor's Views
A Zoo Visitor's Opinions (Viewable by invitation only)
Zoo Visitor's Quizzes
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Zoos should make you feel like you are in the animals' territory.
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"Could it be that sanctuary people, who are fortunate enough to have such personal contact with elephants, don't realize that the reason they care so much about elephants is that they have had that personal contact?"
No. The Elephant Sanctuary has, I believe, over 30,000 members and none of them have personal contact with the elephants.
You're missing one very significant point: the biggest difference between the zoo elephants you watch and the Sanctuary ones is that the zoo ones will be dead from foot disease long before the Sanctuary ones die of natural causes ...
You say the elephants appearing seem to be doing the same thing: being elephants. Is that not what we do - just be humans – go and do what is important to US. The elephants at the sanctuaries are doing what is important to them - being elephants with their elephant friends – pampered elephants to be exact fact.
You say zoo elephants get a daily bath and back scrub, but the sanctuary elephants wash themselves in a pond, then scratch their backs on trees.
Actually at the Elephant Sanctuary the Girls do receive baths from their caregivers. They have freedom of choice and in the morning before leaving the barn (if they came in for the night) they receive their baths, meds and anything else that is required. But should the Girls choose to stay in the habitat at night then they enjoy their dips in the pond. Did you know the Elephants you have been watching of late in the pond were in a dark windowless unheated barn (with below temperatures in the winter months) for TWO years before arriving at the Sanctuary? Now they are in paradise and ecstatic to finally have sanctuary
You say watching the Elephant Sanctuary's webcam, I sort of feel like I know the particular elephants, in about the same way I feel like I know characters in a movie.
Did you know each elephant has her own personality? Sissy has Tire she carries with her trunk almost everywhere. Shirley has a damaged rear leg. Winkie has a bad habit, which is very comical at times! No it is not like watching a movie. It is watching Girls who are living out life in paradise and being pampered by their caregivers.
I have NEVER had personal contact with the Girls at the Sanctuary and I love each and every one of them. I know most of their personalities. I know they are in the best place possible. No bull hooks, no beatings, just caregivers who care for each one and lets them be elephants who make the choice of what they will do and go where they want to go.
I love The Sanctuary of Tennessee.