Menaka missed her pedicure appointment

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Today I was supposed to give Menaka a pedicure to address two problem areas on her front feet.

I met Menaka in India last May. At that time she was living at the Bangalore Zoo, having recently been confiscated by the government from a temple. She was thin, nervous and a bit aggressive, and her feet did not look good.

Menaka no longer lives at the zoo, which is good news. Instead, she resides at the wildlife rehab center run by CUPA, which happens to be next door to the zoo. She is not on exhibit, which suits her well, but still receives the fringe benefits, such as spending the night loose in the forest with the zoo’s related herd of elephants.

When I visited Menaka a few days ago, I didn’t recognize her. She was calm, her weight was good and her feet were on the mend. We set an appointment for today to trim her feet but I just got an unexpected phone call. All of the elephants, including Menaka, had not returned from the forest but instead were hanging out with a herd of wild elephants. Imagine the director of a US zoo receiving such a call from his lead elephant trainer telling him the elephants would not be on exhibit as planned due to their gallivanting with wild cousins.

I could not be happier about the pedicure cancellation. Foot care can be done anytime; hanging out with your wild friends definitely takes precedent!

Comments

5 responses to “Menaka missed her pedicure appointment”

February 24, 2011

Ellie

I now pay special attention to a elephants nails and pads since attending your pedicure appointments. I recognize that a elephant living on natural substrate as apposed to a concrete slab are hugely different. I have a question and wonder if you might have an answer, the nails of circus elephants always look buffed, polished and artificial. Is the circus industry covering up nail cracks etc and that is why their nails look so unnatural? I know from reading all the 2009 trial documents that almost all of Ringling elephants suffer from foot problems.

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1. February 27, 2011
  
  Carol
  
  I have observed that some elephant foot care focuses on the front of the nails; the area visible to the public. Filing or buffing the front of the nail weakens the nail making it prone to cracks. Sometimes pretty nails are hiding necrotic pads and infected nails.
  
  Reply
February 25, 2011

starling

That is the life: work a little, eat a lot, wander with wild elephants (almost) whenever they want. Thanks for showing us there is more than pain and isolation for some captive elephants.

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February 25, 2011

sherryheim

Great story and I am thrilled that the wild and captive elephants were good with each other…once again, it proves that elephants are better at relationships and accepting differences than we humans are. Thanks for this post, you made my heart smile.

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February 27, 2011

Beth

Great to read these, Carol, so happy to hear that Menaka is doing so well now….pedicure will come but always fun hanging out with your wild friends!!

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