Tomu's bed

Last May (2019), I wrote about the sleeping habits of the elephants at Tama Zoo (see article here). This time, I'll talk about the "bed" where "Tomu" lies down.

Tomu currently has three places to lie down: the dirt mound in the main enclosure, the dirt mound in the smaller enclosure, and the dirt mound indoors. He usually sleeps indoors, but in warmer seasons he starts sleeping outside, and in winter when the temperature drops he returns to sleeping indoors.


Tomu lying down
The mound of earth used as a sleeping area indoors is re-piled with soil using a shovel loader every day, and the mound of earth outside is re-piled with soil using a shovel loader every week on the park's closing days, to ensure a comfortable sleeping environment. This is because if Tomu lies down all night, the soil becomes compacted and hardened, making it difficult for him to sleep, and thus reducing the amount of time he spends lying down.

Since August of this year, we have allowed Tomu to freely move between the indoor and outdoor enclosures at night. At first, he never slept outside, but on September 26th, we saw him lying down on the mound of soil in the outdoor enclosure for the first time! Letting him outside at night is good for Tomu as it increases his range of movement, but since the door is left open, the indoors also gets cold around November when the temperature drops, and he spends less time lying down and more time dozing while standing.

So, we tried changing the shape of the earthen mounds in the room every day to see what kind of shape would best protect us from the cold and make it easier for us to lie down. We tried making the mounds higher, flatter and wider, and even making them big enough to envelop Tomu when he lay down. When we checked the next morning, the mounds that Tomu didn't like were trampled on and utterly destroyed (left photo). Conversely, the mounds that he liked had clear imprints of his body on them (right photo).

A horribly destroyed earthen mound		The soil mound with clear marks left by the body

We're still not entirely sure what kind of mound of earth the animal prefers, whether it's influenced by the temperature or its mood. We'll continue to experiment and try different things. When you visit the zoo, please pay attention not only to the animals but also to their enclosures. You might discover some ingenuity on the part of the zookeepers. The living environment varies depending on the type of animal. You're sure to make some interesting discoveries!

Cheeky's death

　As previously announced, Chiki passed away on November 26, 2019, as temperatures began to drop. Chiki's expressive face and caring nature were very memorable. I also vividly remember how carefully he ate his food. Although he was initially wary of me, a newcomer, he gradually accepted me over time, and after a year, I was able to provide him with training and treatment. I learned so much from Chiki during the approximately two years I spent in charge of his care. I am truly grateful.

Cheeky
[Yuta Yamamoto Tama Zoo, Tama Zoological Park]

(January 10, 2020)