Hansa the Elephant

Some sad news that Hansa the elephant died.

We went and saw her when she was a baby, and she was so cute. Watched her on videos playing in the water, and with her ball. What struck me about her was her visible delight with playing in the water. Her joy and her mischief when she was rolling the ball with her keeper. If anyone every doubts animals feel emotions, they should have seen her.

Her mother Chai's obvious love and care of her, draping a trunk over her back.

Animal activists are saying that the Woodland Park Zoo is cruel to the elephants, and that elephants should not be kept in captivity, and should be running free.

In my opinion, that's a nice dream, but not very practical. Where should they run free - Africa? Poachers and a lack of habitat being what they are, not a very good place for a captive bred elephant. Asia? Ditto that, with the addition of the elephants that are still used for work in some places. I wish all animals could run free in their natural habitats - but unless there is some kind of plague that wipes out 15/16 of the human race, it's not going to happen.

I guess it's a case of how you believe - that captive breeding programs may end up saving the animals. That animals who are in zoos can help sensitise all people to the plight of the wild animals in the world.

But today, I am not thinking about all of that, nor do I care. I care that Hansa died. I feel for her caretakers, who must be devastated. I hope they figure out what happened, so it doesn't happen to another elephant. But, it could also have been One of Those Things.

Rest in Peace Hansa, you were loved.