Elephants get wash and brush up ready for starring role
Sunday 20 June 2010
Elephants at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo are getting a spruce up ahead of their starring role in Elephantastic! our popular elephant demonstration which is now on for the summer season.
© ZSL - James Godwin
Kaylee, Lucha and little Donna, just nine months, show members of the public how they can lift their feet for keepers to check and care for them on a daily basis.
They also demonstrate their dexterity by lifting logs and revealing how in the wild, elephants and humans come into conflict due to habitat destruction, which they show when they “knock down” a replica traditional Thai hut.
George
The demonstration culminates in the introduction of George, the newest calf whose name has just been announced. George, or Mr George Ketchum to give him his full title, was named by Londoner Avril Lee who bid for the rights to name him on an eBay auction by bidding £1,850. In fact the company generously put up their donation to £2,500.
A delighted Avril, partner and deputy CEO of Ketchum Pleon London said: “It's not every day that you 'buy' an elephant name, but the opportunity to name such a fantastic animal after our founder George Ketchum, PR pioneer, was too good to miss.
At Ketchum Pleon PR we're excited by the work we do and the difference we can make, helping Asian elephants in their fight to survive in a changing world is something we all believe in. He's a elephant we'll never forget.”
Elephantastic! runs for the entire summer season at 2.30pm every day and is free to visitors.
