Elephant Who Couldn't Stand, Hoisted To Feet At Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) — A 33-year-old African elephant named Malaika at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs received some help from firefighters after she was found lying on her side. She was unable to stand up early Monday which could have harmed her organs.
A team of about 20 workers and firefighters used a crane-and-hoist system to lift her up since she was unable to stand on her own.
The zoo said once they got her up, she was able to stand on her own. A team of veterinarians and zoo keepers are monitoring her for any additional medical concerns. Malaika is also drinking electrolyte water, eating some of her favorite treats and taking medication for inflammation and pain.
A Facebook video shows rescuers cheering and applauding as the elephant stood up.
The Zoo says if an elephant can't stand, it could cause stress to internal organs and can be fatal. Unfortunately, Malaika has a history of not being able to get back up from laying down. She had to be rescued once before, on Jan. 1, 2018. Some elephants are able to get back up from lying down with no problem, but Malaika, like some other elephants, don't ever lie down and instead just lean on objects for rest.
Zoo staff noticed that she laid down overnight from what appears to be a "leg wobble" during a deep sleep. She didn't get up for several hours and that's when emergency crews were called in to help her get back on her feet.
Malaika is a part of the aging elephant herd at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. The zoo keeps the equipment
The zoo has other older elephants and holds drills to practice lifting up the animals which is credited with how smoothly efforts went on Monday.