blamebrampton: 15th century woodcut of a hound (Default)
blamebrampton ([personal profile] blamebrampton) wrote2010-03-16 03:44 pm
Entry tags:

Breaking radio silence for a quick zombie elephant update!

Mr Shuffles, Sydney's favourite zombie baby elephant (see previous post), continued his career of attempting to Freak Everyone Out today by deciding to fall into deep water. Mum and aunties and zookeepers all intervened very neatly. I defy anyone to watch that video and not be as charmed by elephants as I am. And yes, I know they are wild animals and have come across a number out in the wild when Dad and I did our overland through East Africa trip. But even big bloody African ones are fascinating, and the sort of animal you hope to negotiate shared space with, and ideally can.

[identity profile] treacle-tartlet.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 05:27 am (UTC)(link)
Small Girl is enchanted!

[identity profile] blamebrampton.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 05:33 am (UTC)(link)
I love the way that the elephants and the keepers work together on the rescue! Clearly very good relationships between all species in that enclosure!

[identity profile] emerald-dragon8.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 05:37 am (UTC)(link)
I love elephants. They're so beautiful! I adore our zombie elephant. :)

Also, hi! I haven't been around much lately. *guilty face*

[identity profile] blamebrampton.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 05:41 am (UTC)(link)
No guilt! How goes uni? I imagine you're up to your nose in work. I will have to email you soon as the ideas for your Haiti story are coming together and I want to go over some things with you, but no rush!

Zombie Shuffles is one of the best things about Sydney at the moment, I am tempted to take myself to the zoo to visit him tomorrow!

[identity profile] emerald-dragon8.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 05:48 am (UTC)(link)
It goes okay! I'm kinda busy at the moment, yeah, but its moreso work than anything else. I'm applying for other things with less hours and I'm thinking I'll have to resign in the next few weeks, it's just all a bit too much. I'm home sick today though, I've caught a nasty virus and I've been sick since Saturday. Bleugh. :(

And yay ideas for fic!!! :) I'm looking forward to it!

Oh, please do go to the zoo, for me! If I wasn't at uni I'd take a roadtrip on the weekend. :)

[identity profile] oldenuf2nb.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 05:51 am (UTC)(link)
man, I love that little guy. Have they decided if he's okay? I mean, has he got any health problems?

[identity profile] blamebrampton.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 05:56 am (UTC)(link)
He's a bit stumbly still, because his muscles were all cramped in utero, but the word from the vets has gone from being 'We're cautiously optimistic' to 'We can't see any reason why he won't grow up hale and hearty'.

Obviously, they're not even factoring in his super zombie powers, so that's quite encouraging!

[identity profile] blamebrampton.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 05:56 am (UTC)(link)
I'll make sure I get up early so I can get everything done in the morning and then jump on a ferry with my camera. And if not tomorrow, then next Wednesday!

[identity profile] treacle-tartlet.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 07:48 am (UTC)(link)
We've watched the clip several times, now :) We've both remarked upon how well the keepers and the elephants work together to rescue Shuffles the Amazing Zombie Elephant. Small Girl squees ;)

[identity profile] annes-stuff.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 08:09 am (UTC)(link)
That is just beautiful.

[identity profile] catsintheattic.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 08:09 am (UTC)(link)
&hearts

[identity profile] auntpurl.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 09:28 am (UTC)(link)
MISTER. SHUFFLES.

*is dead*

[identity profile] phoenixacid.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 11:36 am (UTC)(link)
Awww, they are adorable creatures, aren't they? *squishes*

[identity profile] coffeejunkii.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 12:24 pm (UTC)(link)
awww! elephants to the rescue :D

[identity profile] silvershinigami.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 01:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Okay, that was truly awesome. My heart might have exploded a little bit when the big elephants jumped in the water to save Mr. Shuffles. ;_;

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/ 2010-03-16 02:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Of course you've been to meet wild Elephants! They're fab. Where the squeaks, snortling and bird noises I could hear under the oooohnoooo-chorus from little zombie?!

[identity profile] blamebrampton.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 02:32 pm (UTC)(link)
The highest ones were Zombie, there were a few slightly less high ones from the other calf, too, as he joined in with the chorus of 'Baby! Be careful!' that all the cows were making.

As to meeting elephants, my Dad used to take me on surprise trips, which usually weren't to lovely French country villages, oh no, rather to places like South Africa, which he managed to get us thrown out of, and then up much of the east coast of the continent by Range Rover. Many brilliant experiences, also three near-death incidents, innumerable insect bites, a brief moment when I looked like becoming a lion snack and wretched knowledge of biology thanks to his version of home schooling.

However, one of the best things we ever did was go to an elephant orphanage. Very little is more hilarious than having your pockets raided for food by a trunk!

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/ 2010-03-16 02:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Aw, yes, I saw the other calf "look worried". Wasn't sure if some visitors had dogs and there were birds next door but assumed it could be the little trunk bearers.

Hahahah, well, he was *your* father, what do you expect. *reverses elegantly while sighing wistfully* So what did he do to get thrown out???

[identity profile] blamebrampton.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 02:42 pm (UTC)(link)
One of Zombie's noises is clearly 'MUM! HELP!' which is when I held my breath, but then he seems to be as annoyed by the fussing as by the experience, bless.

And you make a good point ;-) He failed to follow the laws with regards to visiting townships, on several occasions. Since we were there on visas, we were sent packing, but very politely. Strange time and place ...

[identity profile] angela-snape.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 03:08 pm (UTC)(link)
I have always been fascinated by elephants... they're the first exhibit I go to at any zoo. Sadly, that's the only place I've seen them.

Thanks for the update on the Zombie Elephant!

[identity profile] noeon.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 03:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Mr Zombie Shuffles!

This story just gets better and better, although I wish he wouldn't court death so. Perhaps he is really a cat zombie elephant. Or a daredevil?

[identity profile] winnett.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 03:39 pm (UTC)(link)
But it looked like the zookeeper dude pushed the zombie in! That's just not on!

[identity profile] pingrid.livejournal.com 2010-03-16 06:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Aaw, he's so cuuute! Wobbly and silly, but/and adorable! Good job they didn't let him drown himself.

[identity profile] aldehyde.livejournal.com 2010-03-17 07:27 am (UTC)(link)
oh brammers. i love that you continue to share updates about this cute elephant and actually have a tag for it too!
lokifan: black Converse against a black background (Default)

[personal profile] lokifan 2010-03-22 04:32 pm (UTC)(link)
*wails* I can't see the video! It's just noises. :( But yay for Shuffles the Zombie. Adorable little daredevil.

[identity profile] blamebrampton.livejournal.com 2010-03-22 09:29 pm (UTC)(link)
I had that problem a few times. Try googling for mr shuffles water elephants and even though it will probably take you to the same page, it tends to work fine with the video. Oh internet, you are so weird ...