contents
Bull elephant “Tusker” places a tree trunk on a post and thus becomes a star on social media.
With this “trick” the elephant bull “Tusker” is celebrated on the net. The big animal has become a small internet star. The video has been viewed thousands of times on different platforms.
“Tusker does this for fun. He enjoys this game and does it of his own accord,” says Fabian Schmidt, the curator responsible for the elephants at Basel Zoo. The 30-year-old bull elephant clamps a tree trunk several meters long between his trunk and tusk, drags the wood through the facility and heaves it across onto a high post. He then balances the trunk so skilfully that it rests on the post.
Tusker does this for fun. He enjoys this game.
After all, these tree trunks weigh several hundred kilograms up to a ton. A zoo visitor filmed this scene and uploaded the video to the social media platform TikTok. Since then, the video has been circulating online.
The “Basler Zolli” thus receives free publicity. Curator Fabian Schmidt emphasizes that Tusker does his work of his own free will. “It’s a game for him. It’s a kind of elephant pick-me-up.”
After the balancing act, the pachyderm would make several laps around his work and look at it. Only to rip the tree trunk down again so that he can start his game all over again, Schmidt continues. Depending on your mood, repeat this exercise several times.
Tusker also plays pranks on guards
It is quite normal for elephants to play with logs. But: “I don’t know of any other elephant that puts the trunks up like this and then balances them so skilfully,” reports Schmidt. This specialty from Tusker also creates challenges in the everyday life of the guards.
I don’t know of any other elephant that puts the trunks up like this and then balances them so skilfully.
Because Tusker doesn’t just put his “toys” on posts. Now and then he would also block a passage with the logs weighing several hundred kilograms. “Then we can’t, for example, close a gate and separate it from the other animals,” reports Schmidt.
At the moment these pranks are annoying, but Tusker also causes a lot of smiles and admiration. “It’s remarkable how he thinks. We really like him. Tusker is a character animal.”
The «Tembea» complex provides employment for elephants
Around five years ago, Basel Zoo inaugurated the new “Tembea” elephant enclosure. The new facility is intended to give the elephants more exercise and employment, said zoo director Olivier Pagan at the opening. “Tembea” means “on the move” in Kiswahili.
The outdoor area was modeled on a savannah landscape. It is enriched with artificial rocks, trees and accessible dividing ditches. There are also wallows, baths and showers for the elephants. Because especially when space is limited, it is important that the animals find similar tasks to those in nature, for example when looking for food,” said Zolli on the occasion of the opening of the facility. An environment that apparently tempts Tusker to play.