Assisted living isn't just for people. A zoo in Spain helps elderly elephants age gracefully

Zoo in Spain offers assisted living to elderly elephants

An old African elephant named Bully gets the sole of its foot scrubbed from a keeper inside the Barcelona Zoo in Spain, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hernan Muñoz)BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — At the Barcelona Zoo, a 40-year-old African elephant places her foot through the metal barrier where a zookeeper gently scrubs its sole — the beloved pachyderm gets her "pedicure," along with apple slices every day. The treatment is part of the zoo's speci…

By JOSEPH WILSON BARCELONA (AP) — At Barcelona Zoo, a 40-year-old African elephant pokes her leg through the metal barrier where a zookeeper gently rubs her sole: The beloved animal receives her “pedicure” along with apple slices every day. The treatment is part of the zoo’s specialized geriatric care for aging animals that cannot be reintroduced to the wild, as zoos around the world increasingly emphasize lifelong care. “Returning animals of th…

Assisted living isn’t just for people. A zoo in Spain helps elderly elephants age gracefully

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — At the Barcelona Zoo, a 40-year-old African elephant places her foot through the metal barrier where a zookeeper gently scrubs its sole — the beloved pachyderm gets her “pedicure,” along with apple slices every day.

Assisted living isn't just for people. A zoo in Spain helps elderly elephants age gracefully

Zoos have undergone a rethink in recent decades with the emphasis on the conservation of species and education, moving away from the past paradigm that often displayed exotic animals as a spectacle. The new approach includes knowing how to adapt…

Mediafax “Returning them to the wild would be a mistake,” said Pilar Padilla, head of the zoo’s mammal care service. “It’s very likely they won’t survive,” she added. Zoos have been reimagined in recent decades. They now focus on species conservation and education, moving away from the paradigm of the past, which often presented exotic animals as a spectacle. The new approach is based on understanding how to adapt to the needs of older animals, …

BARCELONA (AP) — At the Barcelona Zoo, a 40-year-old African elephant paws through the metal barrier where a zookeeper gently rubs its plant: the beloved animal receives its “pedicure” along with apple slices every day.The treatment is part of the specialized geriatric care of the zoo for aged animals that cannot be reintroduced into nature, as zoos around the world increasingly emphasize life care."Animals of this age, returning them to nature,…