Channel
Behind the Scenes
As Britain basks in glorious sunshine ahead of the bank holiday, ZSL Whipsnade Zoo’s bull elephant, Ming Jung, took to his private pool for a cooling splash.
Keepers captured the 4300kg elephant making a splash as he enjoyed a playful dip at UK’s biggest zoo.
Elephant Team Leader, Stefan Groeneveld said “It’s wonderful to see Ming Jung enjoying the pool in this amazing weather; in fact, we’re all quite jealous! He uses his trunk as a snorkel while he dives under the water -and flaps his ears to cool himself down.
“We’d normally be gearing up for a scorching bank holiday weekend here at the Zoo, with every visitor helping to support our global conservation work – like the international breeding programme that Ming Jung is part of. Instead, we’re asking people who would have visited this weekend to consider making a donation – every penny really makes a difference.”
The current closure of ZSL Whipsnade Zoo due to COVID-19 means that ZSL, the international charity, which is behind the Zoo, finds itself presented with a huge challenge. Reliant on income from zoo visitors, the future of this iconic national institution hangs in the balance – putting its global science and conservation work at risk. Whipsnade’s elephants, tigers and penguins need as much care today as any other day, and ZSL needs help. As well as asking the government for support, ZSL has a live public appeal - every donation makes a difference.
