Elephant Calf 'sanook' Dies At Melb. Zoo

[k9angel]

An elephant calf has died after getting his head caught while playing with his favourite toy tyre at Melbourne Zoo.

Melbourne Zoo director Kevin Tanner says CCTV footage shows 11-month-old Sanook's death was the result of a tragic accident.

Sanook was playing with a large suspended tyre in his barn on Tuesday evening when he managed to manoeuvre it in an unusual way that caused his head to become caught, Mr Tanner said.

"This placed pressure on his neck and would have prevented him from breathing," he said on Wednesday.

Preliminary post-mortem results confirm that as the cause of death.

The zoo says the tyre was one of Sanook's favourite toys, as it was for his sister Mali and brother Ongard.

"This is a tragic accident that has left our keepers, vets and staff community devastated," Mr Tanner said.

"To our knowledge no such accident has taken place previously in any zoo with elephants."

Tyres are commonly used around the world in zoos as an approved form of enrichment for elephants, a zoo statement said.

Sanook was seen playing energetically and suckling from his mother Num-Oi on Tuesday and was found dead on Wednesday morning.

Sanook, who would have turned one in January, was the youngest of three calves born at the zoo.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/vic/a/20144027/elephant-calf-sanook-dies-at-melbourne-zoo/

Poor baby.

R.I.P. Sanook. xx

[j]

Very sad and no doubt will now have an impact on all other Elephants (and many other animals) in captive situations as they review the safety of accepted enrichment objects.

[cavNrott]

Oh how very sad

Godspeed Sanook

Edited December 4, 2013 by cavNrott

[Dame Aussie]

This made me cry poor wee man.

[tdierikx]

Taronga's young'uns are a bit big now to get their heads stuck in the tyre toys - but I did notice that a couple of their tyres have actually been cut through at the bottom, presumably to stop anyone getting caught up in them?

Luk Chai in particular loves to play with the tyres - especially when he has an audience... little show off!

T.

PS... run free little Sanook...

Edited December 4, 2013 by tdierikx

[Kirislin]

Oh what a horrible death, you would imagine his mother would have been frantic.

[BC Crazy]

Such a terrible way for the beautiful little boy to die Extremely saddened to hear this :( His herd & mother will take a long time to recover from this shocking accident. R.I.P Sanook. Run free boy.....