14 DAY TRIAL // Several studies have shown that, for the time being, quite a lot of the elephants kept in captivity are too fat for their own good. In fact, most recent investigations have argued that, all things considered, some 75% of North America's captive elephants could stand to lose a few pounds.
The good news for these animals is that, at some point in the not so distant future, they might have the option to get back in shape by spending some time at a weight loss camp that a group of animal lovers and elephants enthusiasts wants to open in the state of California in the United States.
Thus, Huffington Post reports that, presently, folks at the Ndovo Foundation are trying to purchase the land and also get the paperwork that they need in order to set up a weight loss camp intended to help not people, but elephants.
Information shared with the public says that the proposed facility would cover an area of about 4,900 acres. At first, it will accommodate for some 3-5 overweight or obese elephants.
Should things go according to plan, the weight loss camp could grow to provide suitable conditions for some 12-15 elephants in about two decades' time.
The same source details that, in order to lose some of the extra weight, elephants brought to this facility will be encouraged to exercise as much as possible. Apparently, this goal can easily be achieved simply by giving the animals more space to explore and walk around.
Besides, the animals are to be kept on a high-fiber diet, which is expected to also help them lose weight and start looking more like their relatives in the wild and less like the elephants featured in cartoons.
Veterinarians explain that, much like humans, elephants that end up being either overweight or downright obese risk developing several medical complications. More precisely, they can suffer from cardiac arrest, infertility, arthritis, and other conditions linked to an unhealthy body weight.
Given the fact that zoos wish to keep the captive elephant population self-sustaining so as not to have to regularly remove animals from the wild and put them on display, it is important that the pachyderms currently living at various facilities are kept healthy.