After a small hole was spotted in the tip of, African elephant, Uli’s tusk, the zoo enlisted the help of wildlife dentist Peter Kertesz to provide essential treatment.
Emphasising the importance of providing this treatment, head elephant keeper at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, Tom Lindley said, “Tusk health is vital for elephants, and we’re proud of the trust Uli has built with us since he arrived at the zoo last year. That trust allows us to carry out this kind of important care calmly and safely. His welfare is always our highest priority, by taking preventative measures and treating potential issues early, we can avoid more serious problems further down the line.”
In order to treat the affected tusk, it was carefully drilled and cleaned before filling it with a strong resin. Uli remained calm during the procedure and co-operated with keepers and was rewarded with his favourite foods – bananas and cabbage.
Peter Kertesz said, “Everything went extremely well. We started by smoothing the tusk down, and we then looked inside to make sure we were onto healthy dentine, the substance that makes up most of the tusk and is commonly known as ivory. We then filled it with some plastic material so no dirt can get in. It will now be fine for years.”
Effective veterinary and dental treatment is important for protecting the health of elephants like Uli, and zoo’s such are ideally placed to monitor animals’ health and offer care when it is needed.
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Main image credit: Unsplash
