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Whats wrong with ELLIES trunk ?

I was wondering the same thing???


is it the same guy? Taken at different times but both at Satara.

On the Satara Cam Highlights thread (viewtopic.php?p=637233#p637233) Shadowdog asked the other day and I responded like:



But just now, looking at what was posted since I looked yesterday afternoon, I was looking at this elephant's trunk again in the photos, and was also wondering whether there may, indeed, be something wrong. These photos on the Satara Webcam 15/01/2009 thread (viewtopic.php?f=47&t=28624) posted by jfthibeau:

Look at his trunk here:


And look at the other bull's trunk here:


Note the difference in shape of the trunk towards the end.

And then also look at this one posted just after those two by Sammy:


Something does look amiss there. It can be snare, or other similar damage. But maybe it is also something called (and I don't think I've got the correct name) the "floppy trunk disease." I am sure there's a better name for it, but I believe this is quite descriptive. Seemingly, from the webcam photos, he's managing OK so it may not be that, especially when one looks at this photo also posted by jfthibeau (the middle one above):


From this it would look as if, even though the trunk looks funny to us, and appears floppy, it is still functioning properly, as here he can obviously control it enough to loop it around into his mouth to drink. Unless the "floppy trunk disease" thing is still only in the early stages. I cannot remember when last I saw information on this disease, and for the death of me cannot remember what the prognosis is for elephants with this. And even whether in the mean time they've come up with a suitable explanation for it and doesn't even call it that any more.

thanks, Bishop3306, for the information on this ellie.
Planet Ark has a small article about elephant trunk disease.

Old Age ???

That's interesting Bishop 3006.
I did some searching and found (from the journal of wildlife diseases) there to be an article on it. The official name is 'flaccid trunk paralysis' and it is caused by a degeneration of the peripheral nerves and muscle wastage. It starts off affecting the tip of the trunk and slowly makes its way up. It was first noticed in Zim, in an older elephant bull, who eventually lost the use of 3/4 of his trunk. There seem to be different theories on what actual causes it, some sources say it is due to eating certain plants that are not indigenous to the area and others say that when drought occurs, lead levels rise in the waterholes and surrounding vegetation.
A pic from the article.

Thanks, Emily, for looking up the information for the ellies condition. I saw articles on it also and they said it was hitting Satara in Kruger. Not good news!

So it seems I was right with the "floppy trunk disease" thing? Most often I enjoy being right about most things but sometimes it is not nice to be right. It would have been far nicer to have been wrong and this just being an ellie with a funny "dancing twist" to his drinking manners

But such is life. I remember seeing inserts on 50/50, when it was still a really good program, many years ago on those ellies in Zimbabwe. That was when I saw it and now that you mention it I remember the details of the condition a bit better. Can't say I've seen anything on it agian in at least 10 years.