Zoo Elephants Have Short Lives Because They Are Fat and Inactive
Zoo elephants are too fat, and that may shorten their lives by 40 years, according to a study published in the journal Science.
Dr. Georgia Mason, the senior study author, after examining data on 4,500 elephants over a 45-year period, speculated that stress from living in a confined space as well as lack of exercise leads to the vast majority of zoo elephants becoming overweight. They develop heart disease, cancer, and diabetes the same way that overweight humans do.
Zoo officials took issue with the study because it used data that went back to the 1950s, noting that today's zookeepers provide more space and better nutrition for captive elephants.
Dr. Georgia Mason, the senior study author, after examining data on 4,500 elephants over a 45-year period, speculated that stress from living in a confined space as well as lack of exercise leads to the vast majority of zoo elephants becoming overweight. They develop heart disease, cancer, and diabetes the same way that overweight humans do.
Zoo officials took issue with the study because it used data that went back to the 1950s, noting that today's zookeepers provide more space and better nutrition for captive elephants.
Labels: inactivity, lazy
posted by My Overweight Child at 9:29 AM
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