Australia: Zoo slammed for elephant's 'under-age pregancy'

Times of London ^ | 02/14/08 | Philippe Naughton

[colorado tanker]

But it is unnatural to think that she will be a virgin until graduation. So time for safer sex and of course the abortion mill. Wont do ANYTHING to your fertility later dearie.

I just got an awful image of our lovely lass out on a "date" with a bull elephant and some animal rights nut trying to put a condom on the bull elephant.

[Chickensoup]

some animal rights nut trying to put a condom on the bull elephant.

Brings a smile to MY lips!

[Beowulf9]

Her name was ‘Thong’ Dee. Get it? Slut elephant.

[Tax-chick]

I agree. Although stillbirth is still a risk - as it is in any birth, of any species - surely the zoo can keep her or the other elephants from killing the baby, or can hand-rear it if the mother neglects it.

[IMissPresidentReagan]

Ahhh teenage elephant pregnancy...stop the insanity...wait, strike that, stop the inanity.

[muir_redwoods]

"Australia: Zoo slammed for elephant's 'under-age pregancy'(sic)"

"Lord knows we've tried mate but the damned bulls just won't use the condoms"

[Hot Tabasco]

“It is completely irresponsible,” she said.

So much for "safe sex education".......Abstinance works every time.

[C210N]

You know, elephants can be quite kinky. Here is Horton incubating an egg:

[Tax-chick]

She would care for it if she was in the wild....it is called Mother instincts.

Maybe, maybe not. Some mother animals in the wild reject their young, for reasons that are unclear. Maybe they can suffer from post-partum psychosis, as some human mothers do.

[It's me]

OH MY GOSH!!!

Thank you everybody, so far and yet to come, with all your posts. I really needed a laugh and I’m laughing out loud here in the office!

[Louis Foxwell]

Elephant condoms, a truly stupendous concept.

Why’s that? I have to use that size already :D :D :D
“concept” ooops missed a letter, “conceit”

[El Gato]

Does this mean that if she was in the wild, no male elephant would have knocked her up?

Possibly if her mother or "aunt" objected. Don't mess with the female elephants, not even if you are a male elephant. They are very matriarchal

[El Gato]

Well that was the age decided by Mother Nature . Isn't demanding elephants following cultural norms set by human society a little specieist?

Just a bit, but most female mammals, at least the larger longer lived ones, become fertile before they are really mature enough to be carrying a pregnancy to term. It can be pretty ugly. The 12 y/o analogy is pretty good. Most are able to become pregnant, but they are too small, especially in the hips, for a safe pregnancy. Social matter aside.

I don't know enough to know how that is handled in the wild, probably the same way as with humans, by social structures.

[Louis Foxwell]

Are you calling me stupen????

Your alliteration is perfect.