Zoo in Spain Helps Animals Grow Old With Comfort, Grace, Dignity

Thought Question: What advice would you give a friend who is going through the loss of someone or something they care about?

Zoos have a complex history. It’s believed they were first created long ago for rulers and wealthy people to collect animals and show them off. 

Today, though, many zoos have shifted toward conservation. Some also focus on public education. Zoos are looking more closely at how they treat older animals. They want to make sure animals are treated with kindness and care in those final years.    

Spain’s Barcelona Zoo provides an example of that new focus. There, a pair of older elephants named Susi and Bully (pronounced BUH'-yi) are getting extra attention. Susi is 52 years old and Bully is 40. They are dealing with the death of a longtime friend named Yoyo. The zoo is joining with researchers at the University of Barcelona to study how Susi and Bully are dealing with the loss.     

It’s the first study of this kind, the researchers told The Associated Press (AP). Most such studies involve looking at how animals react to the death of a family member.

At first, both of the surviving elephants showed signs of grief and stopped eating. But as months have gone by, they have started to adapt without Yoyo. Susi has assumed a new role. She has become more dominant. That was a role Yoyo had filled when alive.  

Zookeepers have been giving Susi and Bully pedicures. They have also softened the floor of their enclosure to relieve stress. 

“We care about these animals living comfortably,” Martín Zordan told the AP. He's the CEO of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. 

Gif of an elephant from GIPHY.