First Things First
I'm zinging with excitement!
An elephant ranch is coming to Fellsmere, Florida.
For those of you who don't know where Fellsmere is,
It is located directly west of the
City of Sebastian
on the edge of the Indian River Lagoon on the
central east coast.
Second
I have researched and read everything I could find out about this ranch,
Called
The National Elephant Center
Boy! That sounds so elephant prestigious. Wow!
Right here, almost in my own back yard.
Very intriguing. Similar to how I was feeling back in the year 2000
when I just had to buy a computer and learn everything
I possibly could about it and the internet.
I only hope that Fellsmere doesn't become as big as the internet.
Nah, that won't happen. But it's that very thought
that has inspired this blog post.
It is my larger then elephant size imagination that has lead me
to the the facts that I am about to display in
this blog.
Third
Diseases of Elephants
Encephalomyocarditis -
inflammation of skeletal and cardiac muscle and lesions of the central nervous system
inflammation of skeletal and cardiac muscle and lesions of the central nervous system
Herpes Virus - No explanation required
Rabies - No explanation required
Salmonellosis - infection with or disease caused by samenellae
Tuberculosis - chronic, progressive, debilitating disease known frequently to occur with elephants in captivity
For just one brief moment, go where my imagination takes me . . .
Elevation in Fellsmere is approximately 24' above sea level.
Elevation at shore level is 0' above sea level.
All of Fellsmere and Sebastian's canals and rivers
flow to or toward 0 level.
Picture any one or all of the listed diseases flowing in and thru our storm run off drains.
Oh my gosh! - Just thinking.
Fourth
Some of our animal-rights position takers are very concerned about
the treatment and boarding facilities of these elephants.
According to informational shows I've seen on TV
Elephants hold an amazing family bond which allows them to
actually carry their family instincts from one generation to another thru,
not only nurturing knowledge from their families but thru their genes at birth.
I find that amazingly awesome
My point - without elephants having their very own natural habitat
to carry on generations of gentle docile giant descendants then what you have
left is nothing but mindless, memory less, orphans much much
larger then "just a big cow"
That being said
I may not be able to put my words in perfect order to convey these thought,
But
It seems to me that even though there are definitely some kinks in this
plan it's still probably the best and most important thing that could
be happening for our elephants in a very very long time.
So
kudos to Fellsmere, Florida
And
I am so very excited about this hopefully
wonderful project.
Thank you.
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