Play was in full swing 

this morning at the Zoo’s elephant exhibit.

While the adult elephants munched on hay, Pathi Harn and

latest arrival, Tukta (now 148kg), wrestled each other over a big tractor tyre.

Tukta would rush out from under her mother, Pak Boon,

wrestle for a moment and then zoom back under her mother.

Pathi Harn, during the moments between play with Tukta,

tried to balance on the tyre, wear it like a hat or stand with all four feet

tucked inside it.

He squealed with sheer delight after one nearly successful

balancing act.

All the while the big cows, Porntip and Pak Boon ate

sedately in the sun.

Suddenly, without a sound, the two big females headed for

the gate to the lower paddock, their calves running after them.

The other adult cows, Thong Dee and her calf, Luk Chai, and

Tang Mo had finished their breakfast in the lower paddock.

The lower paddock filled up with elephants. Immediately a

whole herd was on the move.

The three calves rushed to greet each other against a

backdrop of four adult elephants. There was lots of trunk touching.

Tang Mo seemed to take advantage of the distraction to eat

some of Thong Dee’s food.

In elephant society as well, eating someone else’s food is

not the done thing. Thong Dee quickly saw her off with a push and a trunk

shove.

All was calm again, except for the ever-active Pathi Harn’s

attempt to clamber up one of the steep slopes near the waterfall.- Zoo Communications