Once in a blue moon you’ll come across something that makes you doubt your eyes. Can I really be seeing this? Have I lost my marbles? Am I dreaming?
That’s what a bunch of people in Redington Beach, Florida must have been thinking when they came across Judy, a 58 year old, 6,200 pound elephant calmly bathing in the Gulf of Mexico the other day.
Pachyderms just aren’t what you’re expecting to see on an American beach. While I would have been delighted and full of awe, I’d also like to know where her handler was. The crowds were looking at her, taking pictures, and laughing, but dare I emphasize that this is still a 6,200 pound creature who, in a fair fight, would kick your a**, and, if frightened or enraged, can reach speeds of at least 11 miles per hour?
And I’m a little concerned for Judy, too. In a state infamous for its stand your ground laws, where more than 1/3rd of the population admits to packing heat, and where people have been known to shoot the defenseless pelicans out of the air just for the pure heck of it, was Judy safe? And do Elephants and salt water mix? What would a shark make of an elephant? I have no idea. She was in the area for someone’s birthday party, but one gets the sense that her welfare was being treated rather casually. PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, is investigating. More on that story here.
[Image credit: wtsp.com]
The View from a Drawbridge 