TWIGGY, Two Years LaterBy Ben Whitebread, interim elephant manager

On February 10, 2010, I had just returned from a long vacation, expecting a non-eventful week to ease back into the swing of things. But that was not to be the case. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) had just entrusted the elephant care staff here with Twiggy, a 25-year-old African elephant whose former owner could no longer provide the care she needed.

Twiggy then …Twiggy came to us underweight at a slim 5,700 pounds with very little muscle tone. She was covered in layers of old skin and filth, and the pads and nails on her feet had not been trimmed for quite a long time.

It took months of soapy baths to scrub off the layers of filth and give her body and skin a clean feeling she had not felt for a long time. She seemed to really enjoy those baths, as she would lie down and roll around while we hosed her down, even splashing herself with soapy water. Her foot care took about two hours for each foot pad, divided into many sessions to keep her comfortable.

… and Twiggy nowTwiggy has gained almost 1,000 pounds and her overall body shape has improved. Her foot pads and nails are in great shape, too, now that we’ve trimmed them to a nice, healthy level.

Twiggy still is not as toned as Renee and Louie, but we have to remember that she never had the same exercise opportunities they did. She had to learn how to work for her food through reaching and stretching – just some of the innovative ways we feed and stimu-late our elephants. By hanging food-filled nets and barrels overhead, we’re encouraging her to strengthen her muscles while she eats.

It’s been a privilege for our elephant staff to work with Twiggy. We are continuously trying to improve her knowledge and understanding of our training methods while we learn more of her likes and dislikes. It’s taken a lot of time and patience for us to build a trusting relationship with her that will continue throughout her time at the Toledo Zoo.

Now: By hanging food overhead, keepers encourage Twiggy to move, stretch and figure out how to reach items high off the ground.Photo by Maureen Miller

Then: when Twiggy arrived at the Zoo, she

was thin, dirty and neglected. Under the

care of the Zoo’s elephant keepers, she’s come a long way since then.

Photo by Alex DeBeukelaer

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Lucas: Photo by Lynn Lyons

RENEERenee is the oldest and largest of our elephants, at 32 years old and 7,900 pounds; she’s also been here the longest, since 1982. She stands 8’6” tall at the shoulder and has short tusks that are around eight inches long. She is the mother of both Louie and Lucas and is the matriarch, or leader, of our herd. She’s also the most highly trained of our elephants – especially when food is involved.

LUCASLucas is the youngest and smallest member of the herd, born here in June, 2011 and weighing about 800 lbs. He is 3’7” at his shoulder and has yet to develop any tusks. He is our little wild man, and when not sleeping or nursing from Mom, he plays with anything and everything that he can move! From clowning around in wood shavings to kicking his ball around, he’s a thrill to watch.

LOUIELouie is Lucas’ big brother and was born here in April, 2003. He’s been averaging around 4,690 lbs. Louie stands 7’4” at the shoulder and has the larg-est tusks of our four elephants (20 inches long and growing!). He’s incredibly active and really enjoys playing with his new swivel log and root ball. Despite his size, he can still walk along the top of a log as if it was a balance beam.

TWIGGYAt 27 years old, Twiggy, our other adult female, is second in age only to Renee. Twiggy weighs about 6,670 pounds and is 8’2” tall at the shoul-der, with very short, hard-to-see tusks. Although the shiest of our elephants, she is becoming more comfortable within the herd. Since her arrival here in 2010, she has developed a strong rela-tionship with Louie, and you may even see them taking food out of each other’s mouths.

Meet Our

ELEPHANTSBy Ben Whitebread, interim elephant manager

Louie: Photo by Andi Norman

Twiggy: Photo by Alex DeBeukelaer

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Renee: Photo by Lynn Lyons