^ 12.26.09 ^ How her skin is supposed to look.
^ 2.11.10 ^ Looking dry
^ 2.21.11 ^ After being Oiled! :)
^ 5.22.10 ^ Elly and Mishaki, both skin in good condition
^ 2.26.11 ^ Looking Dry
^ 4.14.11 ^ Dryer!
^ 5.28.11 ^ Even Dryer!
^ 7.3.11 ^ YIKES!
^ 7.10.11 ^ Comparison of Elly and Mishaki
^ 8.12.11 ^ The Sore! :(
^ the sore up close 8.12.11 ^
For months I have been wanting to do a post on the issue "Dry Elly" , but keep having other issues pop up. NOW from my perspective, the issue has literally come to a breaking point.
In the past 4-5 months, Elly, the female Black Rhino has seemed to have increasingly extreme skin dryness. I know that the Black Rhino's used to get oiled, but I haven't seen that in over a year. In fact the last photo's I have of Elly having been oiled are posted here, dated February 2010.
I have posted a time-line of photos to show the changes in her skin. I started noticing it as she was becoming more and more chalky looking, especially on her face and hind area. So much so, she started looking ghostly. I don't have many photos as I found it hard to see this happening to this precious Zoo friend.
Since I do not feel I'm in the position to inquire with her Keepers, there really isn't much I can do or say, other than shout it out here and hope the Zoo takes notice.
It might appear to some that all I want to do if find faults and post about them. That is not true. I do not like using time and energy in this way. But, when things are wrong, and this is very wrong, I can not keep quiet. As a frequent visitor and someone who watches (opposed to looking and moving on) the Animals, I notice things others may not. That said, what I notice is also from the perspective of the visitors eye.
Last Friday, August 12, 2011, I snapped the last photos posted here. I was horrified to see this huge sore on Elly's side! It appears that the dryness of her skin has caused it to crack, flake and bleed! This is horrible and when I think too hard about it, I become physically ill. ... I just want to rub Vaseline all over her!
How can the Zoo allow this to happen? Why hasn't this poor Animal, who turned 40! in January and has given birth to over a dozen Calfs, why hasn't her skin been taken care of? Why has she not been oiled in at least a year? Why has she been allowed to have her skin turn chalky? And NOW apparently, its just flaking off!
This is outrageous.
I tweeted the Zoo about it, and got no response. No surprise, as since the Zoo Director Tanya Peterson has stated outright lies about myself and a friend, most Staff outside Keeper level view us as public enemy number one, and disregard anything we say, including valid CONCERNS regarding Animal health and welfare.
Outrageous as well.
SO, What can and will be done to help Elly? I plan to post this and send it to the Zoo Vet Staff. Hopefully they are aware of this sore and its being treated. Hopefully the Hoofstock Staff gets it together and OILS poor Dry Elly, and Mishaki (the male) as well, on a regular basis.
Sunday August 27, 2011 UPDATE:
Tuesday August 16, 2011 - Emailed a letter that included this link to the San Francisco Zoo Vets, Dr Graham Crawford and Dr Adrian M. Received no reply.
Wednesday August 17, 2011 - Emailed a letter that included this link to the USDA department that handles Zoo animal welfare. Received no reply.
Sunday August 21, 2011- Emailed a letter that included this link to San Francisco Animal Welfare Chair, Sally Stephens. She replied and has been in contact with the Zoo regarding this.
At this point I relinquish control to Sally Stephens and the USDA if they make inquiries. I feel that I have done my part on Elly's behalf by alerting all the entities that I felt were necessary. I hope something is done to tend to Elly's sores and skin on a whole. As well Mishaki the male as I have seen one such sore on him too. ... I was at the Zoo today and neither appear moisturized in anyway, nor any medicinal treatment to the sores.
In the past 4-5 months, Elly, the female Black Rhino has seemed to have increasingly extreme skin dryness. I know that the Black Rhino's used to get oiled, but I haven't seen that in over a year. In fact the last photo's I have of Elly having been oiled are posted here, dated February 2010.
I have posted a time-line of photos to show the changes in her skin. I started noticing it as she was becoming more and more chalky looking, especially on her face and hind area. So much so, she started looking ghostly. I don't have many photos as I found it hard to see this happening to this precious Zoo friend.
Since I do not feel I'm in the position to inquire with her Keepers, there really isn't much I can do or say, other than shout it out here and hope the Zoo takes notice.
It might appear to some that all I want to do if find faults and post about them. That is not true. I do not like using time and energy in this way. But, when things are wrong, and this is very wrong, I can not keep quiet. As a frequent visitor and someone who watches (opposed to looking and moving on) the Animals, I notice things others may not. That said, what I notice is also from the perspective of the visitors eye.
Last Friday, August 12, 2011, I snapped the last photos posted here. I was horrified to see this huge sore on Elly's side! It appears that the dryness of her skin has caused it to crack, flake and bleed! This is horrible and when I think too hard about it, I become physically ill. ... I just want to rub Vaseline all over her!
How can the Zoo allow this to happen? Why hasn't this poor Animal, who turned 40! in January and has given birth to over a dozen Calfs, why hasn't her skin been taken care of? Why has she not been oiled in at least a year? Why has she been allowed to have her skin turn chalky? And NOW apparently, its just flaking off!
This is outrageous.
I tweeted the Zoo about it, and got no response. No surprise, as since the Zoo Director Tanya Peterson has stated outright lies about myself and a friend, most Staff outside Keeper level view us as public enemy number one, and disregard anything we say, including valid CONCERNS regarding Animal health and welfare.
Outrageous as well.
SO, What can and will be done to help Elly? I plan to post this and send it to the Zoo Vet Staff. Hopefully they are aware of this sore and its being treated. Hopefully the Hoofstock Staff gets it together and OILS poor Dry Elly, and Mishaki (the male) as well, on a regular basis.
Sunday August 27, 2011 UPDATE:
Tuesday August 16, 2011 - Emailed a letter that included this link to the San Francisco Zoo Vets, Dr Graham Crawford and Dr Adrian M. Received no reply.
Wednesday August 17, 2011 - Emailed a letter that included this link to the USDA department that handles Zoo animal welfare. Received no reply.
Sunday August 21, 2011- Emailed a letter that included this link to San Francisco Animal Welfare Chair, Sally Stephens. She replied and has been in contact with the Zoo regarding this.
At this point I relinquish control to Sally Stephens and the USDA if they make inquiries. I feel that I have done my part on Elly's behalf by alerting all the entities that I felt were necessary. I hope something is done to tend to Elly's sores and skin on a whole. As well Mishaki the male as I have seen one such sore on him too. ... I was at the Zoo today and neither appear moisturized in anyway, nor any medicinal treatment to the sores.
