Taking Care of Baby

Written by

June 26, 2010

Baby has captured my heart. Her condition is serious but it seems no one at the government center is concerned. Her owner gets paid to have her at the Elephant Study Center all day. He is absent. I have seen several different mahouts working her.

At a little more than two years old, Baby is trained to perform in the show twice daily and walk two kilometers round trip daily, to and from her home stable.

She is scrawny and malnourished, with a ravenous hunger. It’s encouraging to see her grab for long-stem grasses and stuff them into her mouth, chew nonstop and grab another.

Luckily Baby likes the rice and coconut milk supplement I am feeding her 3 times a day. The first two days my effort to help was tentatively accepted by the mahouts. But Baby reached out eagerly, looking for the bowl she knows contains the new tasty food. Now the senior mahout welcomes me with a smile and casual greeting. He thanks me after Baby eats.

Today is my last day with Baby.

Comments

9 responses to “Taking Care of Baby”

June 27, 2010

sherryheim

I am so glad that you found an accepted food that will help Baby gain some weight. I hope that those who care for her will learn by your example and continue to feed her as much as she will eat, until she reaches a normal weight. How difficult it must be for you to leave her. It has been your practice to care for an elephant until they regain their health or pass on. My heart goes out to Baby and also to you,I believe it is going to be a difficult parting for both of you. Thank you for your knowledge and patience with Baby. Now she at least has a good chance of survival.
Take care, be well and stay safe,
Sherry

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June 27, 2010

ali

These stories really pull at my heart strings. Very heart breaking. I’m wondering if you are able to video some of these elephants, maybe a TV station can make this public, how tragic.

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June 27, 2010

DeniseR

Carol, I am heartsick about this baby. How can we help?

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1. July 2, 2010
  
  Carol
  
  When I get an update I will let you know. If she does not get proper care I will push to move her to the elephant hospital.
  
  Reply
June 28, 2010

Cora

So heart-breaking. It must have been very hard for you to leave that sweet baby.

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June 28, 2010

Lisa Wellman

I hope Baby is taken care of after you leave.
Thank you for all the information you are sending to us.

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July 2, 2010

barbara k.

Carol,
Baby is Beautiful!!! It must have been so hard to know that was your last day with her.
But she will never forget You. Will the mahouts continue to feed her the rice and coconut milk mixture that you started her on? That must have been such a happy moment when you created something that she liked to eat. Best wishes in your travels.

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July 3, 2010

Beth

Oh, Carol, thank you…I know how hard it must have been to leave her.

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July 8, 2010

Hrimati Dasi

Carol, I must say “hats off” for all your courage to push for proper care from the Mahouts…if you want a good baby formula, Dwipen Kalita has a lot of experience with the little displaced babies up in Assam. He uses a particular formula to save them from starvation…

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